Doménica Garzón presented a project to the State Department after participating in the SUSI program.

September 14, 2018

Yachay Tech student Doménica Garzón won a scholarship for the SUSI program and a small grant for the execution of a project in Ecuador. They were both granted by the US Government. In the SUSI program, students from different parts of Latin America learn about American culture while they explore ways of benefitting their own community with social entrepreneurship projects. The project, which won the grant, was worked on by students of Escuela Politécnica de Chimborazo and Universidad Central.

By the end of the SUSI program, different teams presented their proposals to the State Department to compete for funds for the development of the project. Doménica and her two teammates presented a project that seeks to train indigenous communities in topics related to social entrepreneurship. For the development of the project in Ecuador, the government entity granted them the small grant, equivalent to USD $500. Students plan to use an app developed by them as support to do the trainings.

A pilot of the project will launch in September, 2018, in Tena, and the team will work with a Kichwa community. In the future, the International Cooperation and Student Exchange Coordination of Yachay Tech hopes to institutionalize the project as an opportunity for community liaison for exchange students.