A 4-year-old boy who hated English classes became, eight years later, a spelling bee and English Olympiad champion thanks to the Global Health Beat Foundation’s “Future Entrepreneurs” program.
Samuel Rojas Cabuya was just 4 years old when the Global Health Beat Foundation (GHBF) met him and his parents, Rigoberto Rojas and Helena Cabuya. At that time, he was a child passionate about books and the Colombian poems of Rafael Pombo, but English classes were frustrating for him. The language barrier kept him from a subject he simply didn’t understand.
Everything changed in 2020 when Samuel received a scholarship from the GHBF’s “Future Entrepreneurs” program. The program provided him with two weekly English sessions for a year: one individual class and one group class with other scholarship recipients. The program’s methodology was based on ludic activities that fostered Samuel’s interest in and emotional connection to the language. Although the COVID-19 pandemic forced the sessions to be held virtually, this did not prevent Samuel from finding the perfect mentors to rediscover English in his teachers, Gabriela Copello Duque and Inés Rueda Arango—bilingual and bicultural students at the University of the Andes, at Bogotá, Colombia, and interns with the GHBF.
“Gabriela had a way of teaching me that was very well suited to my learning style,” recalls Samuel, who is now 12 years old and lives in the Tilata village of Chocontá, Cundinamarca. His natural curiosity and charming personality quickly won over his teachers, who saw in him not only a dedicated student but also a child willing to give a new opportunity to a language that had previously intimidated him.
From the virtual classroom to trophies
Samuel’s transformation has been remarkable. The boy who used to avoid English is now an outstanding student who has earned several diplomas in English Olympiads organized by his school and three trophies in spelling bees. “Receiving these awards has been very special because it demonstrates the level of English I’ve achieved over the years thanks to the Global Health Beat Foundation gave me,” he proudly shares.
Samuel attends the Montessori School, which emphasizes learning through play, an approach that perfectly complements his learning style. In addition to excelling academically, he enjoys soccer and occasionally plays volleyball with his friends.
A message for other children
With the maturity of someone who has overcome his own fears, Samuel has a clear message for other children facing the challenge of learning English: “You don’t have to be afraid or ashamed to learn another language. These days, to get a university degree or a good job, you need to know English, since in the future it’s a global language and will require fluency.”
His story is a testament to the transformative power of personalized education and the commitment of organizations like the GHBF. Samuel is especially grateful to Elena Lucía Navas (Founder and President of the GHBF) for connecting him with the foundation and giving him an opportunity that, in his own words, “has shaped me academically.”
From a 4-year-old boy who could not understand his English teacher, Samuel has become a 12-year-old who not only masters the language but also inspires others to overcome their fears and embrace the opportunities that bilingualism offers.
The initial goal of the scholarship was clear: to make a rural child bilingual and empower him to dream of global goals. Samuel’s story demonstrates that, with the right tools and support, these dreams are not only possible but become reality.
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