Manuel grew up in the village of Pasac in Nahuala, Solola. When he was just ten years old he decided to stop going to school because he found it boring. By the time he was fourteen, Manuel realized that he needed to go back to school if he hoped to ever get a job. He convinced his family to support him and he started back up where he left off in the fourth grade. Now Manuel is studying nursing at La Escuela Esperanza hoping to serve his community which has little to no access to medical care.