Adelante Mujer students have a grueling schedule in medical school. Added to that, they face demanding responsibilities in the local hospital. Yet, on weekends, students often volunteer in the community and their outreach is frequently to women and teen girls.
When Pope Francis visited the United States last month he related the exchange between young Katharine Drexel and Pope Leo XIII. When Katharine lamented to the Holy Father about the neglect and treatment of Native and African Americans in the US, he asked her a simple question: “And you—What about you?”
Donors and friends sometimes ask if Adelante Mujer brings medical students to the US for their studies. No, we do not. When Sister Ann McKean, CSA conceived the plan to financially assist women in Nicaragua to pursue higher education,she researched three universities on the east coast of Nicaragua. She was very impressed by several features of the recently established URACCAN University (University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast.)
Continue reading “Medical Students in Puerto Cabezas-Nicaragua”
Nicaragua is often considered as synonymous with poverty. There is little doubt that this largest country of Central America has more than its share of poverty. Hurricanes earthquakes, wars, erupting volcanoes, and floods have visited their wrath upon the republic that is slightly larger than New York.
For seven years Sister Ann McKean, CSA, PhD has been finding ways to financially assist young women in eastern Nicaragua to become medical doctors. Herself a university professor, Sister Ann detects talent in young people and she believes they should have every opportunity to develop their talents. In 2009 Sister Ann founded Adelante Mujer,Inc./Advance Woman! The purpose of the program is to invite donors to help educate women doctors in a country second only to Haiti in poverty. Sister Ann’s goal has been realized even beyond her own expectations. And the students love her for it.
Dear Friends and Donors,
The most exciting news since our Easter letter is that this month we had sufficient funding to accept four new students into the program. Beginning with this July semester there are a total of 21 Adelante Mujer women preparing to become medical doctors in Nicaragua! That good news is a tribute to your generosity.
Qualifying for medical school in any country is not something a person takes for granted. To be prepared for higher education in Nicaragua, much less for medical school, is daunting beyond description.
When someone from the Adelante Mujer team travels to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, it is for business. We zip around the area between the university, the hospital, and the bank. Sometimes we go to each place two or three or four times. One night was an exception because we went to church for liturgy with all the URACCAN University graduates. Bishop David Zywiec, OFM Cap. presided with the prayerful gathering in the completely filled San Pedro (St. Peter) church.
Frances told us, “Every day I receive ‘begging letters’ in my mail. They come from all kinds of charitable organizations and I try to help those which I know are legitimate, worthwhile charities. But often when I send a check to a faceless organization it means no more to me than when I pay my phone bill.
“To think that strangers give their money so we can follow our dream to become doctors is so beautiful to us,” recipients of Adelante Mujer financial assistance have told Sister Ann. “Those people never met us and they help pay our educational expenses here in Nicaragua! They are so generous!”
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