When Kenneth Maldonado’s family gave him a computer as a child, “it opened a world I dreamed of exploring,” he says. Maldonado, now 21, has always loved technology and been motivated to help others.
But attending university was financially out of reach for Maldonado, who is from Quetzaltenango, a city in the western highlands of Guatemala. “I didn’t expect to study at the university,” he says.
Then Maldonado saw an advertisement on the Universidad Mesoamericana’s social media for the REACH scholarship. He applied, not knowing that his application was one of over 1,000 for just 300 spots.
A few months later, he learned that he’d been accepted. Now, he is studying software development. Driven by the belief that technology should be available to everyone, he aims to develop a program to benefit people with disabilities. “[Attending university has] radically changed my life,” he says.
Tailored support to meet students where they are
Like Maldonado, many young people in Guatemala, Honduras and Paraguay face barriers that can prevent them from accessing and completing higher education.
So, the Realizing Equitable Access, Retention and Completion in Higher Education (REACH) project — which is funded by USAID and implemented by FHI 360 and a consortium of partners, including universities and nonprofits — is increasing access to market-relevant higher education and training for marginalized young people ages 17 to 29 so they can thrive academically, professionally and personally. Known locally as “ALCANZA” (“reach” in Spanish), REACH conducted labor market assessments to select academic programs related to in-demand careers, enhancing prospects for future employment. And the project supports higher education institutions to provide sustainable academic, financial and psychosocial support services.
The project, which began in late 2022 and enrolled students until August 2024, reached 765 participants overall. The young people come from diverse contexts, says FHI 360 Communications Specialist Luis Martínez Balcarcel, but “violence and economic struggles are things that many of them are facing.”
Challenges are often exacerbated for those from Indigenous communities, rural or conflict-affected areas, and households with low incomes, as well as young people with disabilities, those who migrated and then returned, and LGBTQIA+ young people.
“Part of the project’s goal is for universities to be able to adapt support systems for young people who have different needs,” says Balcarcel.
Some students require assistance with transportation, food and school supplies; others need a place to stay. And participants can make use of psychosocial support services — some of which are offered by the universities — that the project coordinates for those who need it. REACH is working to strengthen and expand universities’ capability to offer this care.
‘Who the heck am I to achieve it?’
Growing up, Luz Pereira, 18 — who is from Itauguá, in Paraguay’s Central Department — overcame major hurdles, including bullying, financial difficulties, depression and leukemia. Her parents stood by her through it all. They encouraged her to apply to Servicio Nacional de Promoción Profesional, a vocational school, but she wasn’t confident she would be accepted.
“What am I going to study this for?” she thought. “It’s expensive. Who the heck am I to achieve it?”
Pereira did eventually apply and was one of the top three applicants. She was thrilled, but during her first month, she considered leaving due to the cost. Luckily, she soon learned about the REACH scholarship through an information session put on by Fundación Paraguaya. That she found out about the scholarship when she did “is a miracle,” she says.
Right now, she is studying business administration. When she graduates, she hopes to be able to provide for her parents. “I will take them to a supermarket and let them pick everything they want, and I will pay,” she says.
Watch Pereira’s story:
Juan Vera, 29, who lives in Limpio, in Paraguay’s Central Department, had always dreamed of having a career. A single father of two daughters, he works hard to give his family a better quality of life. He was working at a casino to pay for his mechatronics (a type of engineering) degree at Centro Tecnológico de Avanzada (CTA). But his shifts were unpredictable, and often at night, which made it hard for him to study or spend time with his family.
During class one morning, staff from Fundación Paraguaya shared information about the REACH scholarship. “[It was] a kind of sign for me,” says Vera. He applied and was accepted. “My oldest daughter was the one who was happiest for me,” he says.
Watch Vera’s story:
The beginning of the path
Eliezer Álvarez, 19, who lives in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, had always been interested in science and technology, but because he couldn’t afford university, he wasn’t planning on studying this year. He was looking for a job when a friend told him about REACH.
In Honduras, opportunities for young people are scarce. According to the country’s National Institute of Statistics, nearly one million young people have no formal education or employment access. In urban areas of the country, only 25% have access to university-level studies.
Álvarez was accepted for the scholarship and is now learning how to develop applications for phones and computers at Universidad Tecnológica de Honduras.
“Today, I know it is the beginning of a path requiring much effort,” he says. “Graduating is not everything … I always want to aim higher. I know I can accomplish many things and will strive to achieve my personal growth.”
