INVESTING IN YOUTH EDUCATION IS TO WORK FOR A BETTER FUTURE

For more than 25 years, the Wong Foundation has been working to offer access to quality education to girls, boys, and adolescents in rural Ecuador. This commitment is nourished by faith in those who will be the protagonists of the future of our society. At the same time, we believe that young people can promote positive development in their communities. For that, we work with optimism and strive to contribute to guaranteeing their right to education.

In the current context, investing time and resources to educate young people with experiences that allow them to strengthen their self-confidence, discover their talents, expand their capacities and open up to the world, acquires even more relevance. It is from empowerment and awareness of the importance of their role in society that the youth dare to dream and set goals for the future.

Through the challenges that the pandemic presents, support must be greater and more creative. It is a great satisfaction for us to witness the commitment of the teachers of the Wong Foundation schools, who not only strive to develop their classes in the current virtual modality, but also do a great job of accompanying their students and their families. In this sense, we do not want to fail to highlight the fundamental contribution of educators to the continuity of schooling and to the well-being of our students.

An example of the activities that our teachers are promoting among young people is the creation of organic gardens in their homes. This experience connects them with nature, motivates research and has helped them strengthen ties in their family core. “It generates union in their homes as it is a shared activity, where their agricultural culture is also revalued. We see the result in their joy at harvesting their own products to supply their home”, says Carlos Navarrete, Vice Principal of Rafael Olmedo Naranjo school.

Experience has shown us that if we make the tools necessary for their development available to young people, they will know how to benefit from them. At the Wong Foundation, our desire is to give the younger generation opportunities to grow, care for them in the process, and empower them to become leaders for their communities.
An important stage in this process is incorporation into the workplace. For this, the Foundation offers technical education and entrepreneurship programs. This includes access to internships in the companies of the group. There, they have the opportunity to gain experience and to apply for permanent jobs.

August 12th is the International Youth Day, a date that seeks to promote the role of young men and women as key actors in the processes of change in our society. In the framework of this celebration, we want to invite you to join the effort to motivate and support youth, opening spaces for them, listening to them, but above all, accompanying them in building a better future for themselves and humanity.