Learn how Chevening transformed the life of Crisna Cuchcatla, a former scholarship recipient from San Pedro Pochutla, a rural community in Oaxaca, Mexico
I grew up in San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, a municipality with more than 130 localities and marginalisation. More than 80% of the population have only completed basic education and almost 35% live in poverty. As a result, I have seen many friends and family members migrate to the United States in search of a better life. Although at one point I thought about leaving, I decided to stay to improve the situation in my village.
Chevening and Rural Communities
When I heard about the Chevening scholarships from a former Chevening scholar. Initially, I did not dare to apply because I thought that indigenous youth from a rural area would not have the same opportunity as others. So, I decided to apply 2 years later, because I wanted to prove to myself, my family and the scholarship coordinators that a person from a rural area can study at a university abroad with a prestigious scholarship.
Applying for the Chevening scholarship can be intimidating. However, I am convinced that young people from rural areas have unique qualities that are beneficial for such schemes.
We have the resilience and the will to keep improving. I kept working on many of my skills that seemed ordinary to me, but in the end, they helped me to get the scholarship.
Leadership and Teamwork
My leadership and teamwork skills were key to getting the scholarship. I developed these partly through the influence of my family, such as my father, who organised a football team in our town to keep children and young people away from drugs and alcohol, or my brother, who organises the largest running club in the municipality.
The sense of community in my village is so important that even to learn English, my father paid a neighbour to teach me English after he had returned from the United States. I then took university classes, invested in private lessons and took advantage of digital platforms to reach the level of English I have today.
In 2023 I managed to get the Chevening scholarship, move to the UK and study at one of the most renowned universities in the world. That is not the pinnacle of my dream, but a big step towards building a better society in my homeland.
My plan is to return to Mexico and establish an organisation dedicated to social policy issues, helping the most vulnerable communities, such as Pochutla.
Chevening represents for me the fulfilment of a dream, but also a valuable tool in this longer-term goal, allowing me to acquire knowledge and networks that will contribute significantly positively to my community.
Tenacity and Support
My success is the result of my tenacity, the support of my family and the mentors who accompanied me. Work and education are important, but in a country like Mexico you also need perseverance and courage. I would advise all young people to dare.
Dare to dream bigger, dare to learn on their own, even if it takes time, and to dare to ask for help. There will always be someone willing to listen and give good advice.
People like me have managed to get ahead, but we are still committed to creating a better society.