The Gloria Kriete Foundation (FGK) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) graduated 254 young people from the Oportunidades Program who completed their studies in the First Phase of the Program.
The Oportunidades program, in partnership with USAID funding, operates four training centers. In January 2023, diplomas and university scholarships were awarded to graduates of each training center at separate graduation ceremonies.
The Oportunidades Program, FGK's flagship educational initiative, empowers young people in El Salvador through education, digital transformation, and job training. It is a unique program in the region that provides support over an eight-year period from the time a student enters the Program.
"When we started this project in 2007, we did so with the goal of reducing educational disparities and creating opportunities for young Salvadorans, because we firmly believe that education is the only path to human, social, and economic development in our country. Over the course of 16 years, we have touched the lives of 3,986 young people and their families, and we have seen how society has benefited from having citizens with integrity, educated in values, contributing to their local economies, and committed to the social development of El Salvador," stated Roberto Kriete, President of FGK.
The Oportunidades program aims to address the challenges of global education and make it accessible to all young people. They do this by using digital, playful, and innovative teaching methods. The Program's training centers throughout the country are equipped with educational resources that use new technologies. Teachers are qualified to use these resources effectively for teaching purposes.
The growth of the Oportunidades program has also been possible thanks to the alliance signed between Oportunidades-FGK and USAID in April 2021. The Program has expanded throughout the country and has awarded scholarships to 254 young people who have completed their first phase of academic training. This includes 74 graduates from the Santa Ana site, 40 from the Sonsonate site, 44 from the San Miguel site, and 96 from the San Salvador site, all of whom will continue their higher education.
99% of the young graduates will attend university, and 222 of them will benefit from the program's higher education scholarships. 60% of the scholarships are for technical careers, and 40% are for long-term careers. 61% of the chosen careers are in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and 58% of the students are female. The Oportunidades program invests in vocational orientation to help beneficiaries choose careers that are in high demand in the labor market.
In 16 years, the Oportunidades program has impacted the lives of 3,986 young people; 21 university partnerships have been signed; 1,530 scholarships have been awarded for higher education; 329 people have completed the Employability Certification Program; and 875 young people have been placed in internships and permanent jobs.
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The Oportunidades team provides these young people with all the necessary tools to set them on a path of excellence that begins with a comprehensive education and lasts throughout their lives.
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