To become a professional soccer player, Santos knows you need a few things: practice, endurance, and a healthy body. Through Convoy of Hope’s Children’s Feeding program, he’s learning just how important nutritious meals are to fueling his future dream.
Every school day, he receives warm meals alongside his middle school classmates in Nicaragua. But Santos grew up understanding the gravity of going without food. Before Convoy’s program came, he would often go to school with an empty stomach, carrying the stress of his family’s situation.
“My mom didn’t work because she hadn’t finished college,” Santos said. “And she went into debt to support me while I was living with my grandmother. Now she works as a teacher and receives a small financial allowance, but most of what she earns goes toward paying off those debts. We barely have enough for food — sometimes we eat well, sometimes we don’t, because everything is so expensive.”
As Children’s Feeding is helping alleviate the burden of food costs for his family, it’s also giving Santos the energy to get excited about learning again.
“The training I liked the most and put into practice is healthy eating. I remember very well the lessons about carbohydrates, proteins, and fats,” he said. “It was a very interesting topic. I really enjoyed it because my dream is to become a professional soccer player, and I know I need to eat well to have physical skill.”
His big dreams don’t end with making a goal on the field — Santos wants to leave an impact on the world around him.
“I want to achieve my dreams so I can help my family move forward and also support my community, especially in children’s education and nutrition,” he said. “I don’t want other children to go through what I experienced, not having enough to eat.”
For Santos, every meal is a reminder that he is stepping towards a brighter future. One where his body is stronger, his community is changing for the better, and his dreams are within reach.
“Now, I feel happy every time I eat.”
