Nair Cabezón's Education Fund

Ginna Bentley is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Nair's three daughters

Luz and Nair; mother and daughter

My name is Nair Cabezon, I am 24 years old and I have three daughters. Susan is 8 years old, Maikha is 6 years old and Ileana is 5 years old. My parents are Luz Aida and Filipe Cabezon. I am an indigenous woman of the Wounaan community of San Antonio. The community is located on the banks of the Chagres River near Gamboa, Panama.

I have been awarded a scholarship to study Obstectrics, for three years in Trieste, Italy, in the Province of Venice. I am very happy to have achieved another goal in my life. My reason for seeking donations is so that i can take my three daughters with me. They will be able to obtain a good education in Trieste so they, like me, can return to their indigenous community as professionals some day.

We need four months minimum payment for an apartment in order to obtain our Visas from the Italian embassy with permission to travel to Italy. We also need airline tickets in economy class for our family. I thank you very much for your contributions. God Bless You.

Nair Cabezón.

Nair Cabezón is a 24 year old indigenous Wounaan woman from the village of San Antonio near Gamboa, Panama. She is a single mother of three children, ages five to eight. The village has been experiencing great stress and challenges as they move forward in the twenty first century. Traditionally, their simple lifestyle has been maintained through basketry, woodcarving and odd jobs in the nearby communities of Gamboa and Panama City. Nair's father and the other elders of her community have recognized the importance in educating the children and young people of the village so that they are in a better position to face the challenges ahead. Nair and her siblings have attended public school in Panama, through great community sacrifice, and she obtained her high school diploma. Nair completed a two year program at the Instituto Tecnico Superior in Panama City where she was registered as a nurse. With this training behind her, she has been awarded a full scholarship to an advanced two-year medical program in Trieste, Italy where she will be certified in Obstectrics. This is especially advantageous to the village as there is currently no one living there with western medical training and they have myriad health issues including high rates of infant and childhood mortality, diabetes and the various tropical diseases. Additionally, the financial reward from a medical job would surpass all other revenue sources in the community. Nair is currently working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute where she helps in an amphibian research project. Although she has been saving for the move to Italy the cost of bringing her family and housing them there is outside of her reach. The primary obstacle to Nair completing her education is the cost of airfare for her family of four and housing expenses in Trieste. An apartment there that would be suitable for her family runs approximately $750/ month in US dollars. Airfare for the family would be approximately $3500. The scholarship offered covers both years tuition. Helping Nair take advantage of this opportunity will raise the status of many people; the entire village of San Antonio. This money will ensure that Nair completes her education and will benefit her three children and the forty other members of the village in countless ways.

The Village of San Antonio