8th March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, calls for a reflection on fairness and gender equality, a fundamental pillar to ensure a sustainable future.
Under the UN’s theme for 2025, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, the need to reduce the gender gap across all fields, including education and science, has become all the more pressing. It is in this context where the women teachers, educators and professors in vulnerable environments who collaborate with ProFuturo, the educational innovation program with technology from the Telefónica Foundation and the “La Caixa” Foundation, can play a crucial role, becoming agents of change that not only transmit knowledge, but also empower the new generations through education.
2025, much like previous years, has seen the tireless labour of thousands of women who, from their classrooms in Latin America, Africa and other regions around the world, have transformed their students’ realities, bringing education to those who need it most. The year has also made it clear what the use of technology for educational purposes means, in terms of quality, precisely in those circumstances in which the job of a teacher tends to be done in conditions where resources are scant, but with a firm conviction: education is the key to changing the future.
Teachers as an engine for change
In many parts of the world, women teachers are the backbone of the educational system, particularly in vulnerable environments. In Latin America and Africa, it is estimated that 60% of the teachers in rural schools are women, and they are the ones playing a fundamental role in communities where gender equality and access to education are persistent challenges. Education is a universal right, but according to UNESCO, this access is still limited for many women and girls, especially in rural areas or conflict zones. These are places where ProFuturo’s mission embraces its maximum potential, making education accessible and in terms of equality, fairness and quality.
This bright spots in this panorama are the stories of perseverance and achievement, such as those of the teachers taking part in the programmes offered by ProFuturo, where the inclusion of digital technologies for educational purposes in the classrooms of vulnerable communities makes sure that children in these environments can access quality educational resources. At ProFuturo, over 70% of the teachers participating in this program are women, who are taking education to the forgotten corners of the planet, demonstrating that technology and education are powerful tools to give a springboard to the new generations.
The inspiring stories of women teachers
In classrooms from El Salvador to Uganda, ProFuturo bears witness to how women teachers are making the difference:
In Peru, Aleyda is a model of how technology can be used to offer quality education. As a finalist of the Global Teacher Prize, Aleyda proves that digital tools, when used appropriately, can be a bridge for more dynamic and accessible learning.
Adriana, principal in Acajutla, El Salvador, is a clear example of leadership. Her mission is to sow change in her students, and her conviction is strong: “It’s a really nice experience to see the seed of change that you sow in the children”. Through her work, Adriana proves that education is a pathway to transform both the students and the community itself.
In Uganda, Jovia, teacher and ProFuturo coach, has experienced a similar growth process. She began her career without digital tools, but her curiosity, along with the training she received from ProFuturo, has led her to embrace technology and, now, train other teachers on incorporating it in their classrooms. Her history reflects how continuous learning and commitment to teaching can open doors to new opportunities that improve education.
Finally, María Teresa Cornejo, teacher of pedagogical innovation at the República de Venezuela school in Arequipa, Peru, stands out for her approach to digital education. Inspired by a boy who created an app to help the blind, she sought to teach her students to create technology, not just consume it.
With ProFuturo, her classroom has been transformed by integrating digital tools and fostering computational thinking. Her goal is to train a new generation in critical and creative skills, preparing them to be technology producers instead of consumers. Her school was nationally recognised for its educational innovation. “We want students to become producers of technology; not just consumers,” she says.
Her contribution to the programme has been such that the school was selected “national outstanding school” for its educational innovation.
Technology as a bridge for equality
The common denominator in all these stories is clear: the use of technology for educational purposes. ProFuturo, through the inclusion of digital tools in vulnerable communities, is helping educators to overcome barriers to knowledge. The digital gap is one of the primary inequalities of the 21st century, but thanks to the work of women teachers committed to innovation, many children who live in marginalised environments are accessing quality education, which allows them to dream of a more prosperous future.
The tireless work of these women prove that, although there is still much left to do, each step that leads to gender equality and quality education has a real impact on the future of the generations to come. Teachers and educators in vulnerable environments not only are classroom teachers; they are teachers of hope, leaders of change and models to follow who, with every lesson, build a fairer, more equal and more sustainable world.
This 8th March, we celebrate all women teachers who, through their work, are bringing education to places where it is most needed, proving that the power of education, especially given by women, has the capacity to transform not only the present, but also the future of the planet.
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