We are extremely excited to announce the Bridge Scholar Class of 2016! These four students were selected among a highly competitive group of applicants to receive scholarships for their Nourish International Project Internships this summer. We are so proud of the work our students partake in each summer, working in partnership with communities around the world to have an impact on extreme poverty through sustainable development Projects. You can find more information about these inspiring changemakers below!

Anisha Verma

Anisha

I am a second year student at Emory University majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Spanish. Although I was born and raised in Wisconsin, my parents are originally from India. I have been there many times to visit family. Each visit, I have seen poverty that is unmatched by anything I have witnessed in the United States. No matter how many years have passed since my last visit, it does not become easier to see. A Foundations of Global Health class I took my first year of college intrigued me and then motivated me to fight poverty through means of education and sustainable development.

The Nourish Chapter at Emory drew my attention for this reason. Nourish International combines all of my interests while performing service work as well. Receiving the Bridge Scholarship means I will learn more about sustainable development while also making a long-lasting impact in an impoverished community. Moreover, I am excited to learn more about nonprofit work and the changes a group of dedicated individuals can make on a global scale. I am looking forward to different ways the skill set I learn through Nourish can be applied to different areas of the world. My sister once gave me a postcard that said, “When the world changes you, learn how to change the world.” I hope this experience will change me in ways that will allow me to make a noticeable impact on global poverty.

 

Maricruz Cabrera

Maricruz

I am a Mexican native, transplanted into the Southern California desert where I learned to grow and thrive despite the barrenness of the land. My communities, both in Mexico and California, have taught me the importance of collective knowledge sharing and community engagement. With the help and support from them I have been able to surpass many milestones, one of them includes being able to further my education. I am currently pursuing a Media Arts and Sciences degree at Wellesley College.

I am beyond grateful to receive such amazing support from Nourish International. The Bridge Scholarship means more than just being able to go on a trip to a country to which I’ve never been. It is an opportunity to engage with a community, learn about their worldview and the ways in which they empower their own communities to overcome many obstacles. Coming from a rural community in Mexico and from a migrant farm worker family, I am always grateful for opportunities like these that not only empower communities but also empower me. The Bridge Scholarship has given me the chance to have a global-perspective on poverty and on how to empower communities like mine to be able to thrive under harsh circumstances.

 

Mariela Hernandez Cruz

Mariela

I am a proud woman of indigenous Mixtec descent from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. As a first generation college student and third year Sociology major at Wellesley College, I carry with me the perseverance and dreams of my immigrant parents. Having benefited from a privileged education, I know the importance of a quality education, yet not all are granted this right based on their race, gender, or socio-economic class. For this reason, I have dedicated my life to sharing the little knowledge I’ve cultivated with those around me, in particular communities with less resources.

I am deeply rooted in the belief that education, and more specifically, the cultivation and preservation of ancestral knowledge, can serve as a tool for communities to empower themselves. I believe that multicultural and multigenerational partnerships are essential in the path to eradicating poverty and creating a more sustainable future. For this reason, I am grateful and honored to be part of the Nourish International family, one that strives to build a better world for all. As a 2016 Bridge Scholar, I am granted the resources and the support I need to make my dream a reality – to share my passion for learning and work alongside the communities of the Arajuno Road Project towards a better future.

 

Yeana Kwagh

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I am a third year Environmental Studies major at the University of Pittsburgh, working to get a GIS Certification and a Global Studies concentration of Sustainable Development in Latin America. When I was younger, all I knew was that I wanted to help people. But then growing up wrestling with my Korean-American identity, as well as having diverse international experiences through services trips in Cambodia and Honduras, I developed great appreciation for cultural heritage/ anthropology which has shaped my passion for cross-cultural solutions to global problems today.

The Bridge Scholars award gives me the opportunity to actively turn my passion into action through a Project developed from Pitt Nourish’s continued partnership with Maya Traditions in Guatemala. I am so incredibly thankful and excited to be able to take part in preserving an indigenous Maya community’s tradition of back-strap weaving in a way that empowers female artisans. The Project will do this by getting the women’s products in the fair-trade system, as well as expanding public access to healthcare through Maya herbal medicine practices. Joining the Pitt Chapter of Nourish this year has given me such excitement and the chance to witness the real, tangible change I hope to see in the world. Thank you Nourish International for this incredible opportunity and for creating this cycle of empowerment that’ll break the system that retains global poverty!