Semillas para el Futuro: is Huawei's flagship global Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, which aims to provide cutting-edge ICT-related knowledge and soft skills to university students to help them combat the challenges of this sector in the region.

During 8 days, the students shared experiences, trained and put into practice the knowledge learned in the development of the Tech4Good project which focuses on solving a social or ecological problem using technology as the main tool. 10 groups presented their projects and the projects from Venezuela and El Salvador were selected as finalists.

The salvadoran students' project called "StreetAI" is a software that streamlines the process of traffic accidents in El Salvador, as well as providing a timely and effective solution to accident victims. The “Proyecto Ángel” developed by the venezuelan students is based on a water filtration system, through chemical treatment, supported by artificial intelligence for hospitals in their country.

During the closing ceremony, the efforts of outstanding students and group leaders were recognized. The Semillas para el Futuro: Award for the student who had the greatest impact on her peers went to Lorenni Suero from the Dominican Republic, who noted that "not only have we acquired high-level technical skills, but we have also strengthened our interpersonal skills, experienced the richness of interculturality and established solid connections with our peers and the management team".

Karen Alfaro, a guatemalan student and one of the winners of the Best Performance category, emphasized that "the Semillas para el Futuro: program was a way to learn about how to push your ideas towards solutions to problems that affect us every day, and at the same time to create bonds of friendship with people from all over the world".

During the closing ceremony, the director of the UNESCO Cluster Office Alexander Leicht emphasized that "It is an honor to be part of this event and of this story that is for and by the youth of the region, giving them greater opportunities to strengthen not only their technical and academic skills, but to develop cognitive, socioemotional and behavioral leadership skills that have their beginning and end in spaces like these".

The 2023 edition of Semillas para el Futuro Central America and the Caribbean had more than 44% female participation, making it one of the regions with the highest number of women participants. In recent years, Huawei has contributed to close the gender gap, developing projects such as Equal ICT, dedicated to strengthening ICT skills to women in the Latin American region, it is expected to train more than 1000 women in the next year with this project.

"At Huawei, we believe that access to education is crucial to creating opportunities that support fair and sustainable development in all countries. Programs like Semillas para el Futuro prepare students to face challenges and provide tools to empower their skills. By acquiring skills, students can gain confidence, which will help them excel in a multicultural business environment", Said Daniel Ding, VP of Public Affairs and Communications for Huawei Central America and the Caribbean.

Huawei has trained more than 15,000 students in more than 139 countries worldwide with its Semillas para el Futuro program, reaffirming its commitment to provide valuable opportunities to future leaders in the ICT industry worldwide, helping to bridge the digital divide.

Translated by: A.M