Highschool education

The project

Help-for-Hope met with Leo and his mother in 2003, through local connections of friends of the Association in Quito. Leo’s intellectual capabilities and his personal maturity, but also the support of a strong family surrounding convinced Help-for-Hope to sponsor his semi-private high school education. Sponsorship has started in September of 2004, at a rate of USD 100 a month.

Help for Hope investment

Leo has started highschool in September 2004. The duration of his secondary studies is of 6 years, with graduation in June 2010. The cost of the school is of USD 1’200 per year, for a total of USD 7’200.

A day with leo

Hello,
My name is Christian Leonardo Toapanta Cantuña, but my friends call me Leito. I live in Ecuador, in the province of Pichincha in Quito, in the parish of Conocoto.

A normal day of school goes like this:
I get up very early, at 05:30 in the morning, I make my bed, wash myself, and put on the uniform of my high school. I then eat breakfast, which my grandma always has ready for me. I have a bowl of oatmeal with milk, a glass of fruit juice, a slice of bread and an egg. I then go wash my hands and I brush my teeth very well.

At 06:30 I leave my home to catch the bus that takes me to my high school called “Unidad Educativa San Vicente de Paúl”. Classes start at 07:15. When the bell rings, I go to my classroom with my companions, and we start our school day. This consists of seven academic hours of 45 minutes each. After the first three clases we have a recess of 15 minutes, in which I go out to the courtyard with my best friends David and Jordy. When recess is over, we go back for two more classes in which, as in all other classes, I pay a lot of attention to what is taught and I try to complete the exercises we are given in the best possible way. The professors are very good, they explain very well and if someone does not understand, they explain once again.

After these two classes, we have a last recess of 30 minutes, during which I go out with all my friends and we get a football game going. Once recess is over, we go back to classroom to finish up schoolday at 13:30. I say goodbye to my friends and I return home. When I get there, my grandma has lunch ready. After the meal I wash my hands, brush my teeth and do my homework, normally until 17:00.

In my spare time I help my grandma, I play with my two mascots which are two cats called Thomas and Katalina, I practice sports such as football and biking, I play playstation or watch TV.

Normally I go to bed at 20:30 and a pray to God that he blesses and protects my parents and my entire family. A normal school day takes its end.

My dreams

One of my biggest dreams is to meet people and study abroad. I want to become a medical doctor. Another idea is to study informatics. I don’t know yet exactly. But there is another dream that has started in my head, I’d like to build a music band, in which I want to be the leader and guitarist. I recently have received a small electric guitar. I know I have to learn a lot, but if this dream comes true I want the band to be known in all of Ecuador and go on trip abroad.