At 62, don Fernando Santoya returns to his studies with the «Muévete por Panamá» program and dreams of becoming an architect. Stories like Santoya's and Nayelin Barsallo's reflect the MIDES's commitment to social inclusion, opening paths for those who have been left behind in the country's social development. This project, carried out in the districts of Chilibre, Juan Díaz, and Ancón, gives literate individuals the opportunity to complete their General Basic Education. Don Fernando attends classes Monday through Friday, dedicating his mornings to homework and expanding his general knowledge. Despite the adversities, he walks every morning from the 'Mi Hogar' shelter, where he sleeps, to the Infoplaza de San Ana, where the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) gives him the opportunity to study. As a child, Santoya traded his notebooks for a hoe to help bring food home. Stories of perseverance. Santoya's story is inspiring, just like Nayelin Barsallo's, from the Guna Yala region. With the support of MIDES, she became literate and then joined 'Mi Nueva Meta'. Santoya, Nayelin, and the other 33 participants are enthusiastically preparing for their final exams for their respective grades. She is currently in first grade and attends classes with her two young children. I want to study to prove to myself that I can achieve great things. Barsallo had never set foot in a classroom before, but when she migrated to the capital in search of a better future, she understood the need to read and write to help her son with his homework. If they manage to pass them, they can advance to the next academic level. The 'Mi Nueva Meta' program promotes learning through classes supported by audiovisual resources. Her daily contact with blueprints and works, the result of her work experience in construction, fueled her desire to design and create. 'I feel happy because I am learning many things.' It is developed under the 'El Maestro en Casa' methodology of IPER, a flexible model that allows students to complete a school year in just one quarter, facilitating the completion of their basic education in approximately two years. These citizens' stories reflect MIDES's commitment to providing second chances and opening paths of inclusion for those who, for various reasons, have been left behind in the country's social development. His immediate goal is to obtain his General Basic Education diploma, but his dream goes much further: to enter high school and become an architect. Motivated by the desire to improve himself, Santoya decided to join the 'Mi Nueva Meta' program to continue his academic training and achieve goals that once seemed unattainable. Santoya is one of the 35 citizens participating in 'Mi Nueva Meta', an initiative of MIDES in alliance with the Panamanian Institute of Education by Radio (IPER).
