At LMI, sponsorships often blossom into profound and meaningful connections. Such is the story of Ann and Fernanda, whose bond transcended the traditional boundaries of sponsorship. 

A Connection That Blossomed

From the moment Ann and Fernanda met at The Leadership Center, it was clear that their connection was special. They finally had the chance to meet in person after six months of Fernanda being on campus. According to Ann, their bond was instant and effortless—a match made in heaven. Meeting Fernanda brought Ann immense joy, and this feeling was mutual.

The Joy of Getting to Know Each Other

Their time together was filled with excitement and meaningful interactions. Despite Ann’s departure, the two have kept in close touch, shifting from letters to WhatsApp messages filled with encouragements and life updates.

A Special Relationship

In a recent interview, Fernanda shared insights into their unique relationship:

• First Impressions: Fernanda was immediately struck by Ann’s enthusiasm, energy, and friendliness. Ann greeted everyone on campus with a warm smile, making a lasting impression.
• Shared Experiences: During her visit, Ann and Fernanda enjoyed hiking together. The conversations they had while hiking was particularly special for Fernanda. Ann’s efforts to spend quality time, including visits to Fernanda’s room, were deeply appreciated.
• Family Connections: Ann even Facetimed some of her family members to introduce them to Fernanda. This gesture made Fernanda feel incredibly special and included.
• Beyond Financial Support: Ann’s support extends far beyond financial assistance. Her words of encouragement have been a constant source of motivation for Fernanda.

A Trustworthy Bond

Over time, Fernanda has come to trust Ann deeply, feeling comfortable to be her true self around her. This relationship has evolved into a bond where mutual trust and genuine care flourish.

Ann’s experience:

My Motivation for Sponsorship

I was initially exposed to LMI since my Rotary Club sponsors a student. I am so impressed with the LMI program and the students that attend the TLC campus in Honduras, which led me to sponsoring a student. The students are a unique group of women who want to stretch themselves beyond their present circumstances and better themselves personally and for their families and their country. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of such a great endeavour?! For years, I have been impressed with the LMI program and its track record of success.

Meaningful Experiences and Shared Moments

I had the joy to visit the campus in Honduras in February and to meet my sponsee Fernanda for the first time—it was a highlight of my year. We spent a week getting to know each other through a reading group, eating dinner together, and hiking to the waterfall. In the morning, the students do chores, so I joined Fernanda for gardening in the vegetable fields. What a great bonding experience! I got to hear about her life outside of TLC. She has a very warm relationship with her mother and sister, and it was evident in her loving nature. I also shared photos and stories about my family and life in Virginia. It was amazing to be able to connect over our backgrounds and share our stories.

I sat in on several of her classes and ran a reading group with her Cohort. I was amazed by her ease with English—she’s such a great student! One day, we took a hike to the further away waterfall. She was so sweet and worried about my sun exposure and soon gave me her hat to wear. She never left my side! The highlight of the trip was the Sunday bonfire and dancing together.

I am amazed by Fernanda’s love of art and life. She gifted me several of her works of art! This face-to-face interaction laid the foundation for a deep and lasting connection. We continue to stay in touch and correspond frequently.

Supporting and Encouraging an Aspiring Leader

My sponsee is a little older than other students in her Cohort. Her level of English is advanced for a first-year student. I encourage her to be a leader to the more reserved women in her grade. She has all the potential to be an excellent leader at TLC and demonstrates this already. She is very inclusive in her friendships.

Maintaining Connections Across Distances

If a sponsor has not had the opportunity to travel to Honduras, I would imagine that it would be much more difficult to form a bond with your student. The one-on-one time is invaluable. I’m lucky I have been able to annually visit the Honduras campus. My challenge is maintaining the bond we have formed when we are separated. I continue to communicate as often as possible with my busy student yet remain respectful that she has a great deal of responsibilities during school. My sponsee and I communicate in several ways. We have sent letters back and forth via the LMI system as an introduction. She has also sent me some artwork that she made, and we communicate via WhatsApp.

Even if you are not able to visit Honduras, the LMI staff also does an amazing job updating sponsors via their Facebook. I never feel far away from what’s going on. My advice to other sponsors is to keep in mind that many of these students come from disadvantaged families and are near or beyond the poverty line. Few have travelled outside of Honduras. When communicating with them, try to step in their shoes to see the world from their perspective.

Aspirations for the Future

Fernanda’s future is very bright. Her maturity and easy-going nature are going to make her a natural leader in her community. While she comes from unfortunate circumstances, she is very funny with a positive mindset. She had several years of job experience and is a very hard worker. With her new skills attained at TLC combined with her hard-working nature, she will have many wonderful job opportunities.

Advice to Those Considering Sponsorship

It is an honor to sponsor a student for LMI. Sponsoring a student has been an amazingly rewarding experience for me. While there are many programs in the world to sponsor, LMI is unique for its track record of continued and growing success, which has directly resulted in a growing number of graduates from LMI. Each year, LMI graduates more female ethical leaders in the world who have true job skills; from verbal and written English abilities to business and computer skills, as well as other leadership training. This has had a huge impact on a very vulnerable group in Honduras. Furthermore, LMI provides a great deal of feedback about its program and the progress of your student so you can stay in touch with what they are learning and experiencing on the TLC campus.

Reflection on the Recent Fire

The campus in Honduras has just undergone a terrible fire on the property. Luckily, there was no damage to the buildings or any loss of life, but much damage was done to the coffee crop and other vegetation. TLC grows many crops to offset their expenses on campus. This fire has affected their bottom line. If you cannot sponsor a student, there are other ways to help on the TLC campus to help them recover from these fire damages and to aid the school. I’d be happy to speak to anyone about this or any other questions about the LMI program.