The lethal scent of burning trash, dog feces, and body odor overwhelmed me. Crumbling cinder blocks and planks of rotten wood formed makeshift houses, running water was nonexistent, and flea-infested dogs ruled the streets. The small village sat on a plateau above a wasteland of incinerated garbage.

We walked to a plot of land at the very border of civilization. There, we were greeted by a family of 12 Nicaraguan refugees whose home had once occupied the ground on which we stood. During a torrential rainstorm, the unstable land gave way and the landfill below swallowed their house. My team was responsible for rebuilding the structure. Over the next few days, I worked hard to help these people, but as a house took shape from water and gravel, my concern for the community only increased.

When I arrived each day, the youngest family member, four-year-old Ariana, would greet me perched on her prized Barbie tricycle, a gift from a former volunteer. She played on the street, giggling uncontrollably as she zoomed back and forth and begged me to join her. Though she was happy, I couldn’t help but wonder what her future held.

One day, I brought a coloring book and a box of crayons. We sat in the dirt, looking at the pictures. As she stared at a page with outlines of different foods, I realized that unlike the four-year-olds I babysat at home, she didn’t know that a banana was amarillo, or yellow. I wondered what she would learn at the local school, which seemed to be more of a day care. As an American, I believe that education is the path to upward mobility and success. Yet, Ariana would probably never have the privilege to read a new book or learn algebra. Ariana, like thousands of girls who live in developing nations, has limited access to meaningful learning.

The abject poverty I found in Nicaragua was disheartening, but the lack of opportunity for girls like Ariana was the worst part. I found myself asking how a girl can break free from the cycle of poverty. This issue continues to obsess me in my school, community and throughout the world. My eyes are not opened to the impact of barriers to education.