dinero_admin Fundación Poma awarded 61 scholarships for higher education to young people with outstanding academic performance and a strong desire to excel. Of the total number of scholarships awarded, 59 are part of the Beca al Talento and the other two were granted to outstanding athletes of the Fundación Educando a un Salvadoreño (FESA).
Since its inception more than 40 years ago, Fundación Poma has shown its commitment to education. In 2007, it instituted the Becas al Talento fund, a program that, to date, has allowed 1,600 young people to fulfill their dream of pursuing a higher education, whether technical or university.
“Becas al Talento is much more than economic support; it is a platform for growth, designed to provide them with knowledge, opportunities and tools to boost their academic training, as well as their personal development and vision of the future”, said the vice president of Fundación Poma, Alejandro Poma, to the new scholarship recipients and their families during the award ceremony.
Poma underscored the impact that the program has had over almost 20 years on the lives of young people and their homes. He mentioned that of the total number of graduates supported by this scholarship fund, 64 % are the first in their families to pursue higher education and 80 % of them are currently working in their area of training. In addition, of the total number of active scholarship recipients, 69% are women.
In addition to tuition and monthly fees, Fundación Poma’s program also provides scholarship holders with free access to complementary training modules in technical competencies and soft skills; spaces for coexistence and integration; and the opportunity to receive counseling and therapeutic support through the Psychological Care Unit.
Of the new generation of scholarship recipients, 50 will study university degrees and 11 will pursue technical studies at 17 higher education institutions nationwide.
Rocio Tobar is one of the young women recognized with a Beca al Talento, thanks to which she will continue her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at the Universidad Dr. Jose Matias Delgado. Tobar also graduated from the ¡Supérate! Fundación Poma, another of the programs run by the organization that allows students from national high schools to be trained in English, computer science and values.
“Angels come into our lives unexpectedly. And I want to thank one more angel in my path: Fundación Poma. They trusted not only in our grades, but in our hearts, in our stories. They chose us for who we are. And that is worth more than any academic achievement”, Tobar said on behalf of his fellow scholarship recipients during the event.
Sergio Musto, father of a young man selected for a scholarship, recalled how five years earlier his eldest daughter also won a Beca al Talento. “Today, history is repeating itself in our family with my son”, he said. “As parents, there is no greater peace of mind than knowing that our children have a helping hand along the way, that they are not alone and that there are those who believe in their potential”, he finished.
During the ceremony, athletes Jennifer Gómez Coreas, in archery, and Alex Ibarra Mejía, in chess, winners of the “Premio Fundación Poma al Atleta Integral en memoria de Nelson Rivera” also received a scholarship for university studies. Gómez will study Interior Design, while Ibarra will study Law.
In 2023, Fundación Poma joined the Sports Stars Tribute, promoted by FESA, with the objective of rewarding the effort, discipline and talent of young athletes who wish to continue their university education.
“I am convinced that each one of you has everything you need to succeed, and at Fundación Poma, we are happy to accompany you along the way”, said Poma to the scholarship recipients.
Since its inception, the Scholarships for Talent program has been supported by the Fundación Empresarial para el Desarrollo Educativo (FEPADE), which administers the fund and shares its experience with Fundación Poma in higher education.
