Christmas is a time for dreaming, and at ProFuturo, we believe every child deserves the chance to fulfill their wishes, no matter where they were born. This 2024 has been a year full of learnings and accomplishments, where we have reaffirmed that educational technology and social commitment are key tools for transforming communities and building a more inclusive future.
We started the year with sad news: the passing of César Alierta Izuel, a visionary who shaped the history of ProFuturo, Fundación Telefónica, and Telefónica. His legacy continues to inspire our efforts to transform the lives of thousands of children and young people.
We signed an agreement with American Tower to continue reducing gaps in access, usage, and quality of educational resources in underserved communities in Africa and Latin America: Chile, Colombia, and Kenya. This agreement was expanded in October to include Brazil, Nigeria, Peru, and Mexico, further advancing digital transformation in vulnerable schools. Magdalena Brier, our General Director, stated that this partnership “This alliance strengthens the commitment of both organizations to bridge the digital and educational divides. We are deeply honored by their support for the work we have been doing since 2016, and I can’t help but think of every teacher and child who will benefit, as together, we will help transform their lives.”
To continue improving teaching and learning for students through innovative and quality digital education, we organized the “Meeting of Leading Teachers from Outstanding Schools” in Peru.
In April, we joined the celebration of Telefónica’s Centennial, marking 100 years of connecting people’s lives with an unwavering commitment to social progress. Within this commitment lies ProFuturo’s dedication to educational innovation through technology. Additionally, April was the month of solidarity with the Carrera ProFuturo 2024 Solidarity Race, where over 2,500 participants joined the cause of inclusive and quality education for underprivileged children while promoting sports.
In June, we fostered computational thinking among vulnerable children during the International Telefónica Volunteer Day. In July, we celebrated ProFuturo’s 8th anniversary, amplifying the voices of countless stories of transformation from students, teachers, school leaders, families, and partners, all evidencing the impact of our work in the field.
In September, we participated in UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, presenting ProFuturo Mathematics, our innovative tool that makes digital education accessible, engaging, and effective, even in the most remote areas. This reflects our commitment to educational technology as a driver of transformation. We also took part in the XI Summit of Education Leaders in Colombia, involving over 50 experts and showcasing progress on the country’s “Educational Transformation Route.”
Additionally, we launched the report “The Six Pillars for Digital Transformation in Education“ in collaboration with UNESCO and participated in the Digital Transformation Collaborative (DTC), a coalition of organizations promoting synergies for digital transformation in education.
October was packed with milestones. In Morocco, we gathered with our partners for a Regional Meeting to advance educational transformation in Africa and Asia. We celebrated hack4edu, the largest educational hackathon in Ibero-America, with record-breaking participation and significant involvement from universities and hackers working towards inclusive digital education. We participated in a UNESCO and Fundación Telefónica Chile event on inclusive education, marking the launch of their diploma program. We commemorated Fundación Telefónica Vivo’s 25th anniversary and participated in Colombia’s Second Meeting for Digital Inclusion by Telefónica Hispam. In collaboration with UNHCR, we organized a session to raise awareness about our work with refugees as part of October Digital. Finally, alongside the OAS, we launched the second edition of the “Mapping of Best Practices in Digital Education in the Americas“, reaffirming our commitment to educational innovation.
In November, Madrid became the meeting point for the Management Committees of Fundación Telefónica and ProFuturo, alongside directors from Fundación Telefónica Latam. For a week, we worked as a team to analyze achievements, define upcoming challenges, and align strategies toward our shared goal: continuing to transform education worldwide.
In December, we received the 2024 Lion of Solidarity Award from El Español for our contributions to quality digital education in vulnerable contexts. Additionally, we celebrated the Meeting of Leading Teachers in Peru, featuring 23 educators from 11 regions across the country. We also participated in the Guadalajara International Book Fair (Mexico), hosting workshops for children using ProFuturo resources.
To end the year on a high note, we launched the #RunnersConCausa campaign to promote inclusive sports as we gear up for the Carrera ProFuturo 2025 Solidarity Race.
Throughout 2024, these milestones have been accompanied by insightful discussions and reflections from the ProFuturo Observatory, sparking engaging debates on the direction of digital education. While the challenges of integrating technology into such a complex and sensitive sector are evident, the opportunities it presents are equally inspiring. This year, we extensively discussed:
- The role of Artificial Intelligence in education and its potential to foster inclusion for the most vulnerable.
- The importance of educational leadership, from teachers and school administrators to public authorities, as a crucial factor in achieving high-quality education.
- The use of technology in classrooms as an enabler of more meaningful pedagogical practices.
Additionally, we focused on strengthening the ProFuturo Program through various research and evaluation processes. These efforts deepened our understanding of the program’s impact on schools, teachers, and students. Evidence shows that ProFuturo effectively supports schools in implementing management processes that facilitate technology integration, positively impacting enrollment growth and course completion rates. Teacher training has proven effective in helping educators develop digital skills, enabling them to plan lessons more creatively and efficiently. Lastly, students in ProFuturo schools perform better in math and literacy compared to those in similar schools not participating in the program.
This year has been pivotal in advancing our mission to ensure that every child has access to quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances.
2025 awaits us with challenges and new opportunities to continue transforming lives through education!
Don’t miss more milestones in our month-by-month timeline!
#EducatingTransforms
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