Adiós Maestra Martha
Maestra Martha began working at Pasitos de Luz in 2004 and has, for almost two decades, dedicated herself to helping kids with disabilities be the best they can be. It was fitting then that her retirement party took place on the same day as El Día del Niño, the national day of children in Mexico. It was an opportunity for the kids to say goodbye to a much-loved teacher, caregiver and therapist (Maestra Martha has worked in many roles during her time at Pasitos!) and for staff to also pay tribute to a popular and well-respected colleague.
“Martha has been there for the children of Pasitos de Luz through thick and thin” said Pasitos’ founder and Operational Director Yolanda Sánchez. “We will greatly miss her experience and wealth of knowledge. More than that, though, we will miss her deep and unconditional love for the children that we care for”.
Arturo Ayala, the General Director at Pasitos de Luz, also paid tribute to Maestra Martha. “She is the first colleague to reach retirement” says Arturo. “It brought a tear to everyone’s eye to be able to share their memories and experiences of working with Martha, and to join in a round of applause for such a dearly-loved colleague. Maestra Martha demonstrated through her life and work a deep love for the children and for others. She leaves a legacy of valuable lessons. She will always be loved here at Pasitos and will be warmly welcomed whenever she wants to visit.”
We spoke to Martha about her time at Pasitos, asking her to explain its impact on her and to share a couple of favourite memories. “From the very first day that I arrived” she tells us “I knew I had found somewhere really special. I realized that this was a place where children were being helped to do amazing things and overcome the challenges life had thrown at them. Over the years I learned such a lot from these kids. Every day was a new lesson, helping me to appreciate the small things in life and to value the individuality of each and every child. What I remember most fondly is helping to organize the choreographies for events like Riverfest and the International Altruism Festival. I loved seeing the smiles on the kids faces when they danced and helping them to pick out their costumes. I will carry Pasitos in my heart forever”.
Thank you Maestra Martha for your years of dedicated service and love for the kids.