Digital Literacy United States Project #23393

Promoting socioeconomic inclusion in the Americas

by The Trust for the Americas

Project Report | Sep 26, 2016
In pursuit of a better life

By Alejandro Quimey del Rio | Project Officer

Andrea from Argentina

This year, Andrea from Mar del Plata, turned 19 years-old, and despite her young age, she’s been struggling to continue pursuing her dream: study Laws. She had to drop out from Law School because of financial struggle, like she recalls, “I just couldn’t afford it.” She tried to help herself working for a cleaning services company, providing cleaning services for merchants and other businesses in her city.

Andrea joined POETA YouthSpark Center following the advice her boyfriend gave her, assuring her that the life skills, ICTs training and job readiness courses would have a positive impact in her life. Thanks to her training she was able to get a new job where she can put the tools and skills she learned into practice. As she recognized, “the job training helped me to acquire the know-how I needed to find a better job. I learned how to put my C.V. together, how to find a job in these times and lots of tips. They also helped me to know how to conduct an interview.”

She continues to see herself as a lawyer in the future. A dream she hasn’t given up on. That’s why she’s planning to return to the University to finish her law degree.

Andrea’s success story is one of many stories from all of the lives POETA YouthSpark Project has come to impact. Thanks to the efforts placed in the Project from the Trusts and its allies, the Local Partners and the local communities as a whole, but most importantly, your support, we are able to provide youth in Latin America and the Caribbean with the tools and skills to foster change in their own lives and to share it with their communities.

Help us continue fostering opportunities and developing capacities to our youth al across the Americas!

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Donate to The Trust for the Americas

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Jun 28, 2016
POETA Youth Business Leaders

By Valeria Massarelli | Intern

From January to April 2016, more than 245 at-risk-youth received finance training thanks to the POETA Youth Business Leaders program. Participants learn to manage different work experiences, such as how to navigate venture challenges. This project has given at-risk-youth the opportunity to strengthen their abilities and gain the confidence to pursue their dreams of becoming successful entrepreneurs.

In the POETA Youth Business Leaders program, participants diagnose current business situations and identify the steps necessary to improve their business. In addition, participants benefit from training using the Canvas Model and benefit from studying areas such as financial literacy, marketing and budgeting.

Currently 85 of the 245 participants in the POETA Youth Business Leaders program have become entrepreneurs, but with your help, we can increase that number. Presently, The Trust for the Americas is implementing this initiative in three POETA Centers one in Bogotá and one in Medellín, Colombia, as well as Mexico City, Mexico, but we want to expand our initiative to other countries and continue to help people.

Alma is a 30 year old, single mother that learned to manage her finances, provide for her family and was given the opportunity to continue her education thanks to the POETA Youth Business Leaders program in Minas de Cristo. She received a scholarship to study early childhood development, but her journey does not end there. Alma decided it was time to give back to her community and helped other mothers, like herself, to get an education. Alma asked the POETA Center coordinators to create and implement a program through which she could teach everything she has learned to others.

“It was a nice deal, I got to practice what I learned and I gave back to other mothers in my community,” Alma proudly said.

During the same time period, 790 people have benefited from free access to the POETA Center facilities and the complementary training provided. In addition, 160 at-risk youth were empowered through training to improve their economic situation, 30 of which have obtained a new economic opportunity.

Help the POETA Youth Business Leaders program give more people like Alma the opportunity to achieve their goals and dreams!

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For more information

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