In the village of Cuellaje, Ecuador lives a family of four, with a father who is willing to do whatever it takes to provide for his kids. Pedro Torres is 35 years old, has an elementary-level education, and has been traveling more than 100km to the city of Quito to pick up laboring jobs, sometimes staying for months at a time.
After finding consistent work assisting at a welding shop, Pedro eventually learned enough of the trade to take on some welding work of his own—but competing against more skilled, certified welders in a crowded market meant his opportunities were still limited.
His search for training in the city only found courses well out of his price range. On a visit home, he heard from members of his family that the IntaKara vocational center was offering a free welding course. He enrolled immediately, joining the first group of students.
Today he is securing much better jobs as a certified welder. He is making more income for his family and is even looking into starting his own welding shop soon. This course has made an impact on Pedro’s life and the livelihood of his family, but, even more importantly, it has sparked a fire in him and he wants to continue his classroom education through the vocational school to complete his elementary school education.
A representative from CHOICE humanitarian says that the most rewarding part of these courses is watching students gain confidence in their skills and really start to believe in themselves. Pedro is no exception.
