Teresita O’Hara, a Paraguayan chef, a graduate in Educational Sciences and a teacher, is running for the Senate for the Alianza Encuentro Nacional (AEN). She affirms that the axes of her work will focus on children and women. She also wants to work in education addressing the deficits that exist in teacher training.
He is a very involved person in the gastronomic sector. This runs in the family since we have a 52-year-old gastronomy school, founded by my mother at the time. I have been in charge for 20 years. But I also always emphasize that I have been in the educational field for 35 years, practically working very hard. I am a primary school teacher. I did teacher training once I finished school and that is why my concern for teacher training and education today is also very great.
How did you take this step in the political arena?
From a very young age I was a leader, president of my class in high school. I led several organizations for children. I was president of the “Hearts for Children” foundation, president of associations related to gastronomy, president of an international organization of gastronomy schools. Always from civil society, I was very active in social policies. Well, at this moment, my foray is to go one step further, to reach more people, to make more transformations that are urgently needed.
Is better parliamentary representation necessary?
It is imperative that actors enter politics in our country. Those of us who have been doing things from civil society achieving great transformations. I always thought that as I reached people, I also felt frustrated that I couldn’t reach more people because I didn’t have enough tools, enough support. So I always said if the transformations could be made from the State, we would do a lot for our Paraguay, so much in need.
How did your foray into the Alianza Encuentro Nacional come about?
I am in the Hagamos party, which has an alliance with the Encuentro Nacional party (PEN). Already for the Hagamos party, I was a candidate for councilor of Asunción in the past municipal elections. I was very well positioned, from number seven, I went to number one in the party in the municipal elections but I lacked a few votes to be able to enter the council. Then back comes the invitation to run for Senate from party chairman Patrick Kemper.
Have you previously held an elective position?
Never. First time that I get directly into what is a position from the State. Yes, I was collaborating in the Secretariat for Children and Adolescents but from the “Hearts for Children” foundation because I am a foster family. I care for babies in a situation of abandonment, in a vulnerable state. Some time ago, 18 years to be precise, I am already looking after the little ones that come to my home. And together with the Secretariat for Children and Adolescents I have worked.
Who is Theresa O’Hara?
He is a very involved person in the gastronomic sector. This runs in the family since we have a 52-year-old gastronomy school, founded by my mother at the time. I have been in charge for 20 years. But I also always emphasize that I have been in the educational field for 35 years, practically working very hard. I am a primary school teacher. I did teacher training once I finished school and that is why my concern for teacher training and education today is also very great.
How is education in our country?
I believe that education is in intensive therapy and mainly because of the deficit in the training of teachers. I was in a very demanding school and I saw how the subsequent teachers turned out. Above all things, because teacher training was prostituted a lot. It is one of the things that I want to influence and help above all things. I am a teacher, with a degree in Educational Sciences with an emphasis on management of educational centers.
What will be your projects if you are elected to the Senate?
Above all, my incidence will be in public policies regarding women and children. What are the areas in which I have been working for a long time. I work a lot for women and children in vulnerable situations. In terms of their food, their protection, in terms of their health, for me that is essential for the work that I am going to do. And in training to provide work tools for women. The woman as head and head of the family in thousands of situations.
What do you want to contribute in the lives of women?
I want my advocacy to achieve a decent life for women. I came to many of them, I transformed lives by showing them what they can do with everything I taught them, what I know how to do and how I managed to get ahead. Always helping to strengthen that self-esteem that is too much left aside, low in many women who believe that they will not achieve it. Public policies so that we reach more women, even those who live in the corners of the country.
DATA SHEET
Full name: Teresita Benegas O’Hara.
Place of birth: Assumption.
Date of Birth: February 4, 1965 (57).
Place of primary, secondary and university studies: Primary in the San Pedro y San Pablo parish school in the River Plate neighborhood of Asunción. High school at the Colegio María Auxiliadora de Asunción. As for university students, she has a degree in Education Sciences from the Autonomous University of Asunción (UAA). And he is a professor at the National University of Asunción (UNA).
Family: Married to Antonio Cabrera and their children are; Arami, Joaquin, Juan Jose and Maria Fernanda. She also has 14 children of the heart.
Hobbies: Cook, read and walk.
