At 50 years of age, Lourdes, from a small rural village in Peru, is proving that the door to education should never be closed.
As a mother of two daughters, she once had to set aside her dream of university due to financial hardship. But that dream never left her. Years later, she returned to study, first in agriculture and now in primary education through online learning, determined to build a different future for herself and her community.
Her journey did not stop there. Lourdes co-founded a women’s organisation, Hijas del Ausangate, where early challenges were many and support was scarce. With guidance from a CCAIJO leadership program and Mary MacKillop Today, the group grew stronger, creating new opportunities for women to learn, lead and be heard.
Lourdes later led a provincial women’s network, building confidence, advocating for change and opening pathways for others.
Today, she is helping ensure that education is not a privilege, but a right shared across generations.
