“I like coming to the project because we have fun and we paint.”
Eight-year-old Dayana lives with her mother and older brother in San Salvador. Since she was a newborn baby, Dayana has accompanied her mother to the market, where she works as a vendor making tamales (a traditional Salvadoran snack made from corn dough and stuffed with meat or cheese and wrapped in banana leaves), which she sells both from her stall and on the streets. Dayana, (pictured above at her mother's stall), helps out by handing out the tamales to the customers. She shares; "Sometimes it's very tiring as we have to walk to sell."
In 2022, Dayana began attending a Toybox-supported project in the city, run by our local partner Viva. The project focuses on education and child rights, providing support to children and young people in street situations. It helps them achieve the appropriate literacy level for their age and works to reduce school dropout rates.
Beyond academic support, Dayana also participates in various workshops on topics such as emotional wellbeing, responsibility, and caring for the environment.
Name, a project worker shared, "Dayana stands out a lot; she's very bright, learns quickly, and has a great love for studying. Her favourite subject is mathematics. She greatly enjoys the books in the small library — in fact, she helped set them up, arranging them and contributing to the decoration. She's a very dedicated and compassionate child."
Pictured below: Dayana shares one of her favourite books from the project's library.
Dayana herself expresses her enthusiasm for the project and continues, "I like coming to the project because here we have fun and we paint - I have improved my colouring!" Speaking about her typical day, Dayana shares, "At 5:30 we leave the house so we can be at the market at 6:30. Then I go to school to learn. When I come back, I help my mother deliver the tamales and then we go home. My favourite place is the park, I like it when my mummy takes us there."
With the right support, Dayana is not only excelling in her education, but also finding joy in learning and creativity. The project offers a safe space for Dayana and others to focus on their studies, away from the dangers of the streets.
Her story highlights the importance of projects and initiaitives that empower children to build brighter futures, giving them the tools to dream beyond their daily struggles.
Pictured below: Dayana enjoys playing with a skipping rope.
