P.E.I. woman teaches leadership skills to kids in Paraguay

A P.E.I. woman has returned from a trip to Paraguay confident that she made an impact on the lives of children there.

Ann Visser of Victoria, P.E.I., was among more than 100 coaches from around the world who did a week of leadership training with students in the South American country, where she said the education system is "in crisis."

"Half of the kids in the public school, they won't graduate," she said. "Many of them live in poverty and they come from broken homes."

But they still have dreams and goals, Visser said.

"Some of them told us, 'I want to be an engineer.' Others said, 'I want to be a teacher.' One young girl, she said 'I want to be a doctor.' And we were there to encourage them in leadership skills so that they can reach those goals and those dreams."

Visser said they were invited to Paraguay by local government officials. There aren't enough teachers or schools in Paraguay, she said, and the students go to school in shifts.

They were so happy to see us there. They embraced us as their own. Ann Visser

"It was just so amazing to go into these schools to be welcomed and embraced by the principals themselves and by the teachers. They were so happy to see us there. They embraced us as their own."

Visser helped launch a 16-week program that empowers the children to continue after the coaches have left.

They start by talking about choices.

"We don't have a choice of who mom and dad are, we don't have any choices about the circumstances of our life. But as we get older we have more choices and our choices begin to open up," she said.

"We taught them about resiliency, about attitude and how attitude matters and about taking responsibility."

Pride in their country

She said the pride Paraguayans show in their country is "overwhelming," and she has no doubt some of the children will reach their potential, including one girl she became close with named Alene.

"Paraguayans love to get their pictures taken, and she leaned in close as we got our pictures taken together and that was a great moment of connection with her. She wants a better life. She wants to make a difference in her community. And I can't tell you how touching it was."

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