SANDRA CUADROS

'Since  early in life I knew I was a passionate person, and I always had a  genuine interest in nature. As I grew up, I chose to follow a career in  environmental sciences, and this is where my passion truly boosted to  unprecedented levels. As I learned more and more about our relationship  with nature, I realized how challenging is to make significant  sacrifices that actually heal the planet. At the same time, I was lucky  to have a mother that never pushed me to have children (unlike many  families here in Peru). It is a hard decision because there is a lot of  social pressure on women, so much that I even had doubts. However,  another thing changed my life: I became a teacher (of environmental  sciences, of course), and when this happened, I realized that you can  have a special bond with many kids, and have a meaningful impact on  their lives without being a mother. It is then that I realized how to  combine my passion into making a better world, without bringing one more  child to it. And with this. I am giving back to Earth the most sincere  and pure love I can give, without taking more resources from her in  exchange.'