My name is Helen Suntura. I am a 26 year-old Bolivian woman dedicated to using engineering, leadership and project development to improve the quality of life for the 39% of Bolivians living in poverty. I was recently accepted to the Graduate Certificate in Logistics & Supply Chain Management program at MIT , an elite academic program from the MIT Global Supply Chain And Logistics Excellence (SCALE) network, geared toward exceptional graduate students from Latin America and the Caribbean.  It is a rare and incredible opportunity for a student from my background to attend one of the most prestigious technical institutions in the world. The only thing standing in my way is the cost of tuition and living expenses. I’m kindly asking you to help me on my journey to MIT and beyond.

As a child growing up in La Paz, I was always interested in topics considered unusual for a girl: mechanics, electronics, and construction. While this differentiated me from other children, it also gave me a lifelong dedication to challenging myself in difficult academic areas. This dedication was made even stronger with the challenges I face as a woman in a field where women are under-represented. My family has always been extremely supportive of these interests, and pushes me to apply myself. I graduated high school as the top student in my section of the city. When the time came for university education, I made the difficult decision to reject scholarships for private universities in Bolivia, because while prestigious, I knew that they would not give me the best possible education in my chosen field of study. In order to get the best possible education, I chose to attend the best technical university in Bolivia. There, I studied industrial engineering and graduated among the top 5% of my class, obtaining a perfect score on my thesis, which was recognized as one of the best among the more than 60 majors at the university.



After graduation I began to work for the largest company in Bolivia, YPFB. This company contributes to more than 70% of the Bolivian economy, and I immediately took an interest in how such a large entity handled the complex problems it faces in the areas of logistics and supply chain management, especially in poorer communities. Outdated networks and infrastructure have created more difficulties which directly affect the country's economy. It was then that I decided to apply to the program at MIT.  Through this certificate program, I will be able to work on communication systems that can be directly applied to large national and private companies, increasing supply chain efficiency, leading to an increase in transparency along with a commitment to community investment. The impact of this could be powerful and valuable, both for my country’s economy and for the lives if it’s most vulnerable citizens.  The recent COVID outbreak and subsequent handling of vaccine distribution underscores how valuable and relevant efficiency and modernization in supply-chain management is, especially considering the disproportionate impact it can have on lower-income and impoverished communities.

 I often remember a statement by Colin Powell: “A dream does not come true through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work which I am willing to face with a lot of dedication and commitment.” I have shown an endless commitment to gaining expertise in my areas of study and applying those talents to my country’s future. A bit of financial help would give me the opportunity of a lifetime to continue my education. While I received a modest scholarship to attend this program, my personal savings and those of my family are simply not enough to fund this educational opportunity. I am asking for $15,000 to cover the remainder of my tuition as well as airfare, lodging, meals, insurance, and incidentals. I am incredibly appreciative of anything you can contribute. Thank you.

Thank you,

Helen Suntura


Estimated Expenses:

●        Tuition (balance after scholarships, paid out beginning April 2021): $5,000

●        On-campus housing and meals: $3,500

●        Transportation, insurance, and incidentals: $1,500

●        Airfare, visas, and fees: $5,000


From the Fundraiser: 

My name is Matthew Goss, I am a senior Medical Physicist from Pittsburgh, PA. I received a Master’s Degree in Medical Physics from Duke University, and have been working clinically for over 15 years. While working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, I began volunteering my time and expertise in Radiation Oncology for the Radiation Hope Foundation as well as Rayos Contra Cancer, both groups that help bring access to cancer care to underserved areas of the globe. On a lecture tour in Bolivia I met Helen, who introduced herself to me after a talk and expressed how her interests paralleled my own, specifically how to serve poorer communities with limited access to basic resources. Her exceptional initiative, focus and enthusiasm impressed me immediately. Originally I began working with Helen to improve her language skills, but her constant hard work and persistence led me to agree to help her navigate the MIT application process, and eventually offer a sincere letter of recommendation for the program. Knowing her background and seeing her city and country, I feel strongly about helping this exceptional young woman capitalize on the opportunity so very few people in her position could ever dream of. Since Bolivia is a country not supported by the GoFundMe platform, I have also agreed to be the recipient and caretaker of her GoFundMe donations. The tuition will be paid directly to MIT in four installments, scheduled for late April, mid-July, mid-September and mid-December of 2021. 100% of the remainder will be paid to Helen directly,  or used with her permission for travel, lodging and fees listed above.   Thank you for helping Helen in any way possible.