Davier Ortiz (Alumni Testimonial)

Davier Ortiz

My name is Davier Ortiz, I was born and raised in an area known as Santa María de los Cayapas*, a small community in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Since I was little, medicine has always interested me.  I tried to go to college to pursue a career as a doctor but my dream gradually vanished when I realized I couldn’t afford any of the universities I was planning to apply for. I was dealing with my frustration when I was offered the opportunity to go to the capital city of Ecuador, Quito, and live at a fraternity that helps low-income students to achieve their academic goals. I talked to my parents and they supported me, so I grabbed my bags and headed towards Quito. Thanks to La Fraternidad, my expectations about life changed completely, living there I discovered countless opportunities for my future. Thanks to Leonel Vicencio and the sisters of the Congregation of the Good Shepherd, my time at the Fraternity Santa María Del Paraíso became the most amazing life experience for me. As I’m writing this, I am in Argentina studying medicine. If I would not have had the opportunity to live in La Fraternidad I would never have had the opportunity of studying the career of my dreams. I am very grateful to Leo, to my fraternity companions, to the sisters of the Good Shepherd and to all the people who with their contributions help La Fraternidad. Without them, La Fraternidad would not be able to support many young students like me who are looking for the opportunity to study the career of their dreams. There’s no words to describe the gratitude that I  carry in my heart for the fraternity.

*a small and poor community of  poor black people and indigenous people of the Chachi people (Cayapas) who live in the rainforest, north of the province of Esmeraldas in the middle of the jungle near the Colombian border.