Meet Yesli

A few years ago my brother passed away and that tore my family apart. I moved away with my mom, but my dad didn’t come along.

They didn’t explain anything to me. I was very confused and sad. After it all happened, I closed myself off. I became introverted and stopped expressing my feelings. I wanted my brother back and I wanted my parents to be together. For a long time I felt awful, I think I was depressed. But, now, thanks to my involvement in the Robotics Club, I have managed to start to express myself again and that has made me feel better. 

Before enrolling in the club, I wouldn’t say much, and I didn’t talk to anyone. I was afraid that I would start crying if someone asked me about my brother or my parents. And, I had very little patience with my mom. I would get angry with her easily. Gradually, the way my volunteer and my clubmates interacted with me helped me to open up. I started talking to them in the club and the fear I once felt started to go  away. I even started to feel more comfortable.

The club is a place where I feel peace and tranquility. It’s a place where I can let off steam and I feel that this has been something positive for my emotional well-being. I come here to relax when something has happened at home, and that motivates me keep coming. I am grateful for the club, because when I’m building robots, that’s the only thing that matters to me and many other young people who have had similar experiences to mine and need these types of activities to help get them through it.