By Carolina de la Cajiga
Who would have thought that walking tours for visitors to San Miguel Allende could eventually change the lives of thousands of Sanmiguelenses?
Betse (Elizabeth) Davies' parents told her amazing stories about their time in San Miguel de Allende, so she was curious. During one of her many visits to our world heritage town, she took a walking tour to learn firsthand. The discovery of how little she knew took Betse aback. "It was a revelation that this was not just a charming, touristy town, but one with a profound and noteworthy history," Betse humbly admits.
When Betse began visiting San Miguel regularly in the 1990s, she noticed the many needs. Without hesitation, she trained and started volunteering as a guide for the non-profit Patronato Pro Niños A.C. (PPT). This institution organizes the walking tours that raise funds to aid San Miguel's disadvantaged children and adolescents, making a tangible difference in their lives.
On their first tour, the Patronato collected eight pesos from three tourists. Every centavo went directly to funding medical, dental, and psychological care, and 33 years later, this practice continues today.
By 2002, with the expertise gained, Betse earned the position of tour coordinator. She recalls, "Never had I been so challenged, pushing myself to become the person I always wanted to be. My days started with running to yoga class and then rushing to the Jardín to greet the tourists, coordinate the tours, and collect the money. I was happily busy 24/7."
With smiling eyes, Betse reminisces about the changes during her time as coordinator: "We added architectural, church, and private tours. The number of tourists kept increasing, which was great as we could help more kids. It has been a heartening experience, and I feel delighted to have used my skills and time to help the cause." She volunteered for the Patronato until 2017. Now, she's on the board as Director Emeritus. Thousands of kids have benefited from the volunteer work of tour guides and the medical and support staff all these years.
A new project knocked on Betse's door when she was 75. "As a passionate educator, I eagerly joined a group of women to fund higher education for youngsters in need. We founded Jovenes Adelante (JA).” The organization raises money to provide scholarships for deserving students who cannot afford to continue their higher education for lack of money. Besides, JA finances mentorship, life skills, professionalism, leadership workshops, English tutoring, and the loan of a laptop computer. The graduates also join a lifetime support network. As most students are the first in their families to attend college, the family dynamics change –JA offers guidance. "Jovenes Adelante recently added 32 bachelor and eight master students to the 120 scholarship holders, bringing to 160 the enrollment we fund. I feel so proud of what we have achieved," states Betse with a big grin.
Her dedication to helping the less fortunate in San Miguel led to her election as Citizen of the Year 2017 by the Midday Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende. The competition was fierce. Nonetheless, Betse surpassed every step with flying colors. She joyfully commented, "It doesn't get any better than that, I tell you!"
Hearkening back, Betse says, "With my degree in social work from Ohio State and a Master's in Education from the Millersville University of Pennsylvania, along with my active involvement in the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, especially as a member of the Social Action Committee for seven years, I was well-prepared for my volunteer work in San Miguel." With a glint, she proudly adds, "I want to state that my mother opened the way for me. My motto is: be useful, have fun, and smile a lot."
Betse expresses immense gratitude to Jim Harper, who has offered his unwavering support in her activities for almost 15 years. During this time, Jim has kept busy volunteering for Feed the Hungry and being the longest-serving board member of San Miguel's UU Fellowship.
Although now less active at 98 years old, Betse continues to be involved with different organizations and enjoys visits from friends, her four children, and their spouses. She loves reading, cooking, and exercising. She enthusiastically adds, "Altruism should not just be a word in the dictionary; we should apply it daily. We would all be better off!".
We all can follow Betse's steps to make a difference by joining a tour or donating to these organizations: patronatoproninos.org and jovenesadelante.org.
I feel honored and lucky to have met and interviewed Betse, who kindly shared some of her life stories.
If you know a Fearless Woman, Champion of Change you would like us to consider featuring, please send their contact to column writer at: cdelacajiga@gmail.com