The new year didn’t begin in a classroom or an office for Jeyling. It began on muddy paths in the Rosario Murillo neighborhood—umbrella in hand, boots on her feet, clipboard tucked under her arm—going door to door to care for patients diagnosed with malaria and to check on the health of neighboring families.
“No obstacles stop us,” she shared.
Jeyling is an Adelante Mujer student, and this moment captures everything our work stands for: women showing up for their communities with courage, skill, and deep compassion—often long before diplomas are framed or titles are earned.
Her story is not an exception. It is evidence of what becomes possible when women are given access to education, support, and opportunity.
The Global Impact of Educating and Supporting Women
Across the world, decades of research confirm what we see every day in Nicaragua and Guatemala: when women are educated and supported, entire communities thrive.
The World Bank consistently identifies girls’ and women’s education as one of the most effective strategies for reducing poverty and strengthening economic growth. Each additional year of schooling for a girl increases her future earnings by an estimated 10–20 percent, while also improving health, nutrition, and educational outcomes for her children.
Research further shows that women reinvest up to 90 percent of their income back into their families and communities—far more than men—creating a powerful multiplier effect that strengthens households and local economies.
Women in Healthcare: A Multiplier for Community Health
In healthcare, the impact of investing in women is especially pronounced. The World Health Organization emphasizes that strengthening the health workforce—particularly through locally trained providers—is essential for improving access to care, reducing maternal and child mortality, and responding to infectious diseases.
Women healthcare workers often serve in their own communities, where they are trusted and culturally attuned. Their presence improves early diagnosis, disease prevention, and long-term public health outcomes—especially in rural and under-resourced regions.
This is precisely what we see in Jeyling’s work: care that is immediate, relational, and rooted in deep knowledge of community needs.
Why Women Healers Create Lasting Change
According to UN Women, women’s leadership in health and development consistently leads to more inclusive and sustainable outcomes. Women healthcare providers are more likely to prioritize preventive care, family health education, and outreach to vulnerable populations—key factors in breaking cycles of illness and poverty.
When women are supported not only to study, but to lead, entire systems begin to shift. Health improves. Educational attainment rises. Economic resilience grows.
This is why Adelante Mujer focuses on accompaniment—walking alongside students throughout their education and early professional years. Our goal is not simply graduation, but transformation.
From One Woman to Many Lives
Jeyling’s day—treating malaria, checking in on families, navigating difficult terrain—is not just about one patient or one neighborhood.
It is about children staying healthy enough to attend school, parents being able to work, and communities becoming more resilient in the face of preventable disease.
This is how change happens: woman by woman, household by household, community by community.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we step into 2026, Adelante Mujer is filled with gratitude and anticipation.
This year will bring new students beginning their journeys, current students entering advanced clinical training, graduates stepping fully into professional roles, and deeper community health impact across Nicaragua and Guatemala.
None of this happens without the generosity and belief of our donors and supporters.
When you invest in Adelante Mujer, you are not funding a moment—you are fueling a movement of women healers who are already changing the world, one muddy path at a time.
Thank you for walking alongside them.
Here’s to great things coming in 2026!
Adelante, mujer. Forward, woman.
References
World Bank. (2020). Girls’ education and women’s empowerment. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/girlseducation
World Bank. (2018). Missed opportunities: The high cost of not educating girls. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/girlseducation/publication/missed-opportunities-the-high-cost-of-not-educating-girls
World Health Organization. (2016). Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-HIS-HWF-2016.01
UN Women. (2020). Women and health. https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/women-and-health