Nayeli Fleitas, a 20-year-old from Hernandarias in the Alto Paraná department, has been admitted to Wellesley College, a women's university in Massachusetts, United States. She plans to study Economics and return to Paraguay to contribute to the country's economic development.
Nayeli completed high school at Colegio Nacional E.M.D Tacurú Pucú, where she earned a Technical Baccalaureate in Accounting and developed an interest in economics. Without access to private English courses, she taught herself the language using the internet and other available resources.
Since age 13, Nayeli dreamed of studying abroad. She was selected for international programs with full scholarships, such as Yale Young Global Scholars at Yale University and the Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative at Harvard University. She also took part in the Latin American Leadership Academy (LALA) and represented Paraguay at the VII International Youth Summit in Lima, Peru, in 2025.
Beyond her studies, Nayeli created the project "EllaConstruye," focused on female empowerment, in partnership with the organization Mujeres Empoderadas in Hernandarias. The initiative seeks to train women to achieve economic independence and community leadership, inspired by the story of her mother, Mabel Meza, who raised her alone.
Nayeli received guidance from EducationUSA for the admissions process and was also accepted at Berea College. She says her goal is to apply the knowledge gained in Paraguay's public and private sectors, especially in projects that create opportunities for young people from rural areas of the country.