Business Projects:
After attending the Learning and Loving Education Center's English and computer classes, nine students came together to increase their economic status through a small business training project. These students attended 200 hours of on-site training to ultimately establish their own cooperative business, Eco-Care Professional Housecleaning a "low-toxic" cleaning company. All of these former students have increased their economic status, are earning a fair wage and some have attained home ownership.
The establishment of Eco-Care has enable the owners to own an environmentally safe housecleaning cooperative which enables them to earn fair wages, work under safe conditions, and educate our customers about the benefits of ecologically sound cleaning practices to benefit their families and our planet.
Eco-care is made of all worker/owners who are professionally trained in and dedicated to environmentally safe cleaning methods. Eco-Care utilizes ecologically safe cleaning tools as well as a wide variety of low-toxic cleaning agents such as baking soda, vinegar, and vegetable-based soaps. For a free estimate contact, Mayda Iglesias at (408) 778-8445 or ecocare@garlic.com.
Thirteen students successfully completed the General Education Equivalency exam (GED) and received their High School diplomas.
Yolanda:
Yolanda, an immigrant from Mexico began as an English as a Second Language student ten years ago. With low level English skills and small children, Yolanda had no where to go to improve her skills until she found the Learning and Loving Education Center. With the on-site childcare, the Learning and Loving Education Center program allowed her to bring her children to class. The childcare helped make educational possible for Yolanda. After three years, she was able to improve her English skills and moved on to higher education at the local community college. At the Community College, she was able to pursue her dream of obtaining her Early Childhood Education certificate. Yolanda has been employed at the Learning and Loving Education Center for the past seven years and has fulfilled her dream of working with immigrant children. In addition, Yolanda and her family have been able to purchase their first home and have two college bound children.
Mayda:
Mayda, an immigrant from Mexico came to the Learning and Loving Education Center to improve her English skills. Mayda felt trapped at home with her small son and was looking for opportunities to improve her life. After two years of attending English as a Second Language and computer skills training, Mayda decided to take part in a small business training program. Along with nine other ESL students, Mayda attended 200 hours of training and ultimately established their own natural house-cleaning company, Eco-Care. Eco-Care is now in its third year of operation and has a waitlist for their services. Mayda is now their office manager. With her increased economic status, Mayda and her family have moved from a local low-income housing project to a brand new home of their own!
Ernestina: "The situation in my home country was difficult. I had five sisters and one brother to help care for. I attended school only to the 6th grade and then had to go to work. I was only 13 years old. I came to this country with dreams for a better life. One year later, I married and for awhile my dreams were frozen. Now, ten years later, I am working to improve my English, becoming a citizen, learning the computer, and hoping to find a job." (A quote from Ernestina's English writings) Ernestina is a hard worker. After only three years of attending classes at the Learning and Loving Education Center, Ernestina achieved all her dreams. She can now read and write English, has a job, is proud to be a U.S. citizen and is looking forward to voting in her first presidential election this November.
Lupe: Lupe, a three year veteran of our English and job readiness program, is now working as a office manager for a landscaping company. Through her education and new found employment Lupe can better provide for her family.
Margarita: Margarita attended the Learning and Loving Education Center for four years studying English as a Second Language and computer skills. She was happy to find a program that she could attend with her small children. Margarita graduated from the Learning and Loving Education Center to pursue higher education at the local Adult School. She obtained her GED (high school diploma equivalency). Now, Margarita has the skills and confidence she needs to enter the business world. Margarita and her husband have successfully pursued their dream of owning and operating their own business. Currently, Margarita manages all aspects of their small business and has attained ownership of their own home.
Mari Carmen: A year ago February, Mari Carmen and her family were hit by a drunk driver. The accident claimed the lives of her husband and unborn child (she was 8 months pregnant). This accident changed her life. Our program has supported Mari Carmen through advocacy and trainings that have helped her through this difficult time. Mari Carmen works hard at the Learning and Loving Education Center with her studies of English as a Second Language, computer skills, and attending grief counseling workshops. Without our center she would not have the supported she needed to cope with this horrible tragedy. Mari Carmen has had to endure a series of surgeries for the injuries sustained from the accident but is now walking and doing better. The Learning and Loving Education Center has also linked Mari Carmen with a part-time job and she is earning enough income to provide for herself and her son.
Diba: Student Diba, from Afghanistan, began attending our program when she was relocated to our community in last November. She and her two children fled the Taliban regime and escaped from Afghanistan after her family was victimized by violence and persecution. Her father and brother were killed while her mother and husband where captured and taken from their village. To save her life and those of her two small children, Diba climbed the mountain range to nearby Turkey. At the Learning and Loving Education Center, Diba works hard to improve her English and so that she can help her children with their homework and begin working to support her family. She was thrilled to find our program where both she and her daughters could learn English and to operate a personal computer.
Beatriz:
Beatriz was the last hope for her family's survival. Faced with poverty, abuse, and illness, Beatriz came to the United States in hopes of improving her economic status so she would be able to support her brother's expensive cancer treatment.
In Mexico, Beatriz and her family worked together in their own business that supported herself, her parents, one sister and one brother. Life was good until her father started physically abusing her mother. The children stood behind their mother and he was forced to leave the family. With him went the business and the security of the family. They all went to work to support their family and to keep the youngest sister in school. She would be the first to graduate high school. Then Beatriz's grandmother became ill, which required her mother's constant care. After a long illness her grandmother passed away leaving her mother in a deep depression. Beatriz took a secretarial course and worked hard to receive her certificate. She worked full time but the money was not enough. In the meantime, her brother because very ill and was diagnosed with cancer. It was a shock to realize that they could not afford the required expensive cancer treatments. To increase their family's income, it was decided that Beatriz would come to the United States and earn the much needed money to help the family.
After arriving in the United States, Beatriz realized that everything was difficult without the ability to speak English. She soon realized that she couldn't go to a doctor or go to a store, let alone acquire employment. Even eating was difficult. Beatriz sometimes did not eat for days because she did not have the words to express herself. She was afraid to look people in the face and became very fearful and isolated. Beatriz knew she needed to learn English to improve everything about her life and to help her family yet she was concerned about the cost of education.
Beatriz felt welcome from the first moment she stepped into the Learning and Loving Education Center where she attended English as a Second Language and basic computer classes, at a no or low-cost based fee. At the Learning and Loving Education Center she also developed valuable skills by attending CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Res.) and First-Aid certification trainings, a self-esteem building workshop, and a nutrition class. Seven years later, Beatriz' personal desire for education, employment and a better life for herself and her family are finally being fulfilled. She is working full time as a professional nanny, has an apartment, and is thankful that her sister finished school and her brother's cancer is in remission thanks to the treatment he was able to obtain with her assistance.
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