In La Guaracha, many young people are searching for a sense of belonging, purpose, and hope. Families often face challenges that can make it difficult for children and teenagers to thrive, and the effects are felt throughout the community. Those realities are part of everyday life for many, and they are something Sindy Sánchez encounters regularly through her work with children and teenagers.
As an academic tutor with training in child development and inclusive education, Sindy spends much of her time helping students learn, grow, and gain confidence. But over the years, she began noticing that many of the struggles young people face don't start in the classroom. Often, there is something deeper beneath the surface. That's one of the reasons she cares so deeply about the work she does today.
Several years ago, ThriveWorx partnered with Sindy’s church in La Guaracha to host camps with WinShape. At the time, she was already serving as a Sunday School teacher for preteens. When she first heard about the camps, she was curious about how camps would impact the kids. What she didn't expect was how much the experience would impact her own life.
As a volunteer during that first camp, Sindy began recognizing gifts she hadn't fully seen before. "I could see needs. I could see opportunities. I could see ways to follow up."
"I could see needs. I could see opportunities. I could see ways to follow up."
For someone who had spent years serving in the church, it was a surprising discovery, but it sparked something in her. She continued serving with camps, attending various trainings, and participating in leadership development opportunities whenever she could. The more she learned, the more she began to understand how she was uniquely gifted to impact her community.
We can never fully give what we don't have.
At ThriveWorx, we are convinced that we can never fully give what we don't have. That's why we invest in leaders personally and consistently. The goal is to strengthen a leader’s capacity so their impact can expand, deepen, and endure in the communities they serve. And for Sindy, that investment became deeply personal.
As the mother of two teenage daughters, she wanted to stay connected to them during a season of life that can often create distance between parents and children.
"I would pray and ask the Lord, 'How do I do this? I don't want my daughters to grow distant from me. I want their hearts to be connected to mine.'"
"I would pray and ask the Lord, 'How do I do this? I don't want my daughters to grow distant from me. I want their hearts to be connected to mine.'"
Around that time, Sindy became involved with one of our key partners in Costa Rica, Foundations for the Family. Through the program, she discovered practical ways to strengthen family relationships and build deeper connections at home. And the impact was almost immediate.
Today, she talks about seeing the difference not only in her relationship with her daughters, but also in the way her husband interacts with them. "Seeing my husband bless his daughters, care for them, and treat them with tenderness is wonderful."
What she was learning at home reinforced something she was beginning to see more clearly through her work with students and families: lasting change rarely happens in isolation.
Lasting change rarely happens in isolation.
So, Sindy began spending more intentional time with parents. After classes, she would share what students were learning, talk through concerns when needed, and simply make space for conversation. Over time, those conversations became relationships. "It was wonderful because parents began to trust me."
Today, Sindy is beginning to put that vision into action. She is developing a community initiative focused on the holistic well-being of children, youth, and families in La Guaracha. Through the leadership development process, she has taken time to listen, identify the strengths and resources already present in her community, and connect with others who share a passion for seeing families thrive. What started as a burden on her heart is gradually taking shape into something that can serve families throughout her community.
She continues tutoring students, serving in her church, volunteering with camps, and investing in the lives of young people and families throughout her community. Looking back, it's clear that Sindy's growth wasn't first about formal training but about personal transformation.
"I can't lead within my community if I am carrying my own burdens," she said. "What can I give? What can I share if I'm already weighed down?"
That perspective has shaped the way she approaches both her family and her community. The investment made in her life is now being passed on to others through the students she teaches, the parents she encourages, and the young people she continues to serve.
That's the kind of change taking shape in La Guaracha through leaders like Sindy.
