“I would like to be a lawyer to help people, when they are put in jail and are not guilty.”
In the heart of Guatemala City, 12-year-old Sofia shares a single 2.5m square room with her parents and six siblings. Space is tight, and life is a daily balancing act. Her three older siblings rent a second room nearby, though affording it is a constant challenge. Her eldest sister, 23, lives separately with her partner.
Growing up with responsibility
Responsibility came early for Sofia. Since the age of seven, she’s been a vital part of keeping her household running. “I take care of my baby brother when my parents go out to work," Sofia says, "I take care of my other siblings and cook for them and help clean the house and tidy up. The dishes are washed twice a day.”
When she’s not at school, she also helps her mother's laundry business and supports her father's market stall.
Sofia began cooking for her family when she was nine. She continues, “Sometimes I cook and sometimes I do some baking. One time I burned myself,” she recalls. Despite the risks, she continues to cook meals like scrambled eggs and chicken broth for her family.
For Sofia, some household jobs are harder. She shares, “I don't like doing laundry because it is very dirty and it is hard for me. It is very tiring and it hurts my back.”
The pressure to support her family means that school sometimes comes second. She shares, “When I support at home, it's hard for me because I don't do my homework and the teacher scolds me and doesn't let me go out for break.”
Pictured below: (L) Sofia with some of her siblings. (R) Sofia helps to hang out the washing.
A chance to dream again
In July 2023, Sofia's world began to shift. She joined a Toybox supported project in Guatemala City which has opened up opportunities to learn, feel supported, and have fun.
Through the project, Sofia was also supported with the school enrolment process. She shares, "My life has changed because now I study. Before I started studying it was bad because I wanted to read something and I couldn't. Now I feel good because I have classmates and we play at school."
Sofia shares that her favourite subject is maths - she continues; "I think school is important because I learn how to multiply, add and divide."
Speaking about the project, Sofia shares, “They support me in my studies and to be able to have a better future. In school supplies, they have given me shoes, they help me to do my homework and they give me materials to do my homework with."
Alongside practical support, the project has also become a safe and joyful space for Sofia. She shares her favourite things about being involved in the project, “Going to the swimming pool - I like going in the water. There are visits to parks and games. I feel happy, I like it a lot!”
Sofia has also learned important lessons. She shares, “The most significant things I've learned through the project are doing homework, respect, helping my mum, playing, praying, the importance of washing my hands and washing my face.”
Pictured below: (L) Sofia during a project activity. (R) Sofia looks out on her community wearing her traditional Mayan dress. Her family are originally from Chichicastenango in western Guatemala. As part of an indigenous community, Sofia is allowed to wear her Mayan dress to school.
A busy day in Sofia’s world
Sofia's days are long and full of responsibility, but she still finds time to dream. She shares a little on what a typical day looks like for her;
“I wash my face, comb my hair, wash the dishes. I make food for my brothers and me, then go to school. At school I do homework and play. Then in the evenings I play again, eat and then go to sleep at 11:00 p.m."
Looking to the future, Sofia shares, “I would like to be a lawyer to help people when they are put in jail and are not guilty, to help them.” At other times, Sofia’s considered becoming a trader, like the women she sees commanding respect in the market. Or a nurse, like the one she learned about during a school activity.
Sofia’s days are full, and her responsibilities are many. But with the support of the project, she’s finding space to learn, play, and imagine new possibilities. Whether she becomes a lawyer, market trader, nurse - or something else entirely, Sofia is beginning to explore what matters to her, and what her future might hold.
Pictured below: Sofia with her sister.
