Belizean Students Studying Abroad Needs Your Help

Brothers Chris and Santos Herrera from Belize City are working to become the first in their family to complete tertiary level education. They are now seeking the assistance of the public to realize that goal. The siblings are studying in Mexico. Chris is pursuing a degree in psychology and Santos is pursuing a degree in multimedia design. The brothers say they have paid for their schooling using their own funds and with the help of the Ministry of Education and the university they are attending. But this year, they have fallen short of meeting their tuition payments. The brothers have since taken to social media to seek public support in reaching their goal of raising three thousand, seven hundred and fifty U.S. dollars by September twentieth. We spoke with Chris Herrera.

Chris Herrera

Chris Herrera, Belizean Student Studying Abroad

“I am pursuing my bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University Anahuac Mayab. It is a really great risk I took because even my parents were questioning me like are you sure about this because this is like an expensive endeavor. But then I took the challenge and I am surprised that right now I actually reached into my third year. What I have noticed that with inflation and different financial constraints we have faced over these years it has affected me financially. In my third year I am seeking financial help because different sources I have had been depleted. That is why I decided to take it to the public to ask for fundraising so people can help out with this. We were considering just making a pause for the semester but my parents and some of my friends was you just continue on and go ahead with this fundraiser. I brought up the idea of the fundraiser to ask for donations from people in Belize, the community I have. We almost took it but we went ahead with it. I have had to face different challenges because at this moment I am behind paying the tuition. The way the university does it they give you a deadline and you could pay a small amount, but I am behind. Just a little description about my parents, my dad he is a migrant from El Salvador so he came from Belize escaping the war. My mom is from Guatemala and she came to Belize to seek a better opportunity. Both of them have primary school education so I would be the first person to get this bachelors degree and my brother as well.”