When Eymi was a little girl, she dreamed of working in a bank—not because she loved numbers or finance, though those would become her specialties later in life. It was because a bank job symbolized stability and opportunity. In Chajul, where formal, full-time employment was rare, this dream represented something even greater: the hope of breaking barriers and carving a new path. Above all, Eymi knew she wanted to achieve what seemed unattainable for many in her community.
She never imagined she’d one day hold a Master’s Degree. Instead, she started small, setting ambitious but attainable goals—finishing middle school, then high school, and then college. With every milestone, she proved to herself and her family that these goals, once out of reach, were not only possible but within her grasp.
Eymi’s journey in secondary school and higher education began with Limitless Horizons Ixil, when she joined the organization’s first cohort of students in the Youth Development Program (now Colegio Horizontes). The support she received helped her excel in school, transforming her from a dreamer into a trailblazer. As she graduated from middle school, then high school, and finally college, she joined a progressively smaller group of indigenous women achieving these milestones in Chajul.
“What inspired me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus on Finance was my desire to be a role model for my children and for others in Chajul,” Eymi shares. “I wanted to show them that no obstacle is insurmountable—and I wanted to feed my own deep desire to keep learning.”
Eymi and her mother ca. 2007
Eymi and Youth Development Program peers
Eymi with fellow LHI staff
Eymi’s virtual graduation during COVID
The obstacles were numerous and daunting: six-hour journeys to attend classes far from home, navigating a global pandemic that forced her to study online despite unreliable internet and electricity, balancing coursework while caring for a toddler and welcoming a second child, and overcoming the isolation of being an indigenous woman in a male-dominated field. But Eymi’s determination never wavered. She pushed forward, fueled by her vision for the future and the knowledge that her persistence could inspire others.
In 2024, Eymi became the second known woman in Chajul and the first of our program graduates to earn a Master’s Degree. “I feel so proud and happy about this accomplishment,” she says. “And I’m deeply grateful for everyone who supported me along the way.”
Today, with her Master’s Degree and 11 years of professional experience at Limitless Horizons Ixil, Eymi’s dream of having the skills and degree necessary to work in a formal job has evolved far beyond what she imagined for herself as a child. Now, if she wished, she could easily be the local bank CEO—a testament to how far she’s come and how limitless the horizons truly are for those who are able to access education, work hard, and persevere.
This giving season, support Limitless Horizons Ixil to empower more community leaders like Eymi!
