Meet Aleyda Torres, proprietor and director of Colegio Evangélico Luz Del Porvenir in La Romana, Dominican Republic.
In 1995 Aleyda started her school with a mission “to make the love of Christ known to my students.” She began the school in one of the most impoverished communities in La Romana to bring hope and opportunity to her community. She aptly named her school “Light that is to Come.”
Joining Edify’s Core Program
Edify started coming alongside Aleyda in 2011 when she applied for her first loan to build a classroom. She then became a school in Edify’s Core program, meaning she has participated in the loan program, trainings, implemented education technology, and built a close relationship with Edify staff.
You can watch the beginning of her story here.
Seven Years Later
It has now been 7 years since Aleyda received her first loan. Since then she has taken out and repaid two more loans to build classrooms and improve infrastructure. She and her entire staff have attended trainings on Christian Transformation, Classroom Management and Business Skills, and she installed a computer lab.
On a recent visit to Aleyda’s school, she told Edify’s field staff how grateful she is to Edify and for giving her school the vision to be financially sustainable.
Because of the training she received from Edify on financial sustainability, she improved her school fee collection by 95%, allowing her to meet all of her commitments without compromising the financial health of her school.
Today we celebrate the impact that Edify has had on Luz Del Porvenir and the thousands of students who have received a quality, Christ-centered education! Aleyda now has all of the tools necessary to continue to serve her community and grow. This spring Aleyda will graduate from Edify’s Core program and become a mentor for a school that is just beginning their partnership with Edify. We are thankful for her willingness to share all she has learned over the past 7 years!
Learn more about Edify’s work in the Dominican Republic here.