TechRoots: Construyendo Futuros

TechRoots: Construyendo Futuros is a high-impact initiative led by Tecsify, with the support of Global Shapers Community Jalapa, designed to reduce the rural–urban gap in access to technology education and economic opportunity in Guatemala.In contexts where limited connectivity, scarce innovation infrastructure, and lack of market-relevant training constrain social mobility, TechRoots builds practical pathways into the digital economy for youth and underserved populations.

Since launch, the program has trained more than 3,600 individuals in 2024 and 4,200 in 2025, reaching a total of 7,800 beneficiaries in two years. TechRoots has achieved an employment and income-generation rate exceeding 48% among participants, demonstrating measurable labor-market integration and income outcomes beyond training completion alone. The initiative was recognized as First Place Winner and Most Impactful Project at the Regional Showcase, validating both its execution model and results. In 2025, TechRoots continues to accelerate economic mobility by equipping underserved communities with in-demand digital and technological skills—translating education into employability, productivity, and local innovation capacity.

Project Lead & Founder and Contact:  Oscar Morales Cuellar CEO of Tecsify

Problem Statement: Rural and vulnerable communities in Guatemala face structural barriers to accessing technology education, innovation resources, and pathways to formal employment or sustainable income. This disparity deepens inequality, limits local productivity, and drives talent outmigration. Without targeted interventions that connect skills development to real opportunity ecosystems, youth remain excluded from the digital economy and local markets remain constrained in their ability to grow and compete.

Target Group: TechRoots primarily serves individuals living in rural and underserved areas, especially youth and people from vulnerable backgrounds who have limited access to quality training, mentorship, and job-aligned opportunities. The program prioritizes practical, inclusive pathways that enable participants to generate income locally and—when feasible—access remote work and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Proposed Solution: TechRoots delivers inclusive, hands-on training programs, workshops, and technology-focused events aligned with market-relevant skills. The model combines skill-building with applied learning experiences that help participants translate training into action—whether through entry-level roles, self-employment, community-based services, or entrepreneurial initiatives. By strengthening local talent retention and building community-level digital capabilities, TechRoots supports broader community development and local innovation. The approach is designed to move participants from exposure to competence to opportunity, reducing the drop-off that often occurs between training and economic outcomes.

Goals:

Short-term goals include training defined cohorts annually in technology and digital skills aligned with both local and remote employability opportunities, while expanding access for underserved communities.Long-term goals focus on creating sustainable local employment pathways, enabling tech-driven entrepreneurship, strengthening talent retention, and contributing to economic growth in targeted rural areas through increased productivity and digital inclusion.

Performance Metrics: TechRoots: Construyendo futuros takes pride in sharing the achievements to date, highlighting the positive impact on the lives of young individuals in rural and underserved areas. Here are the latest results:

1. Number of Youth Trained:Over 7,800 young individuals have participated in TechRoots training programs, workshops, and events (2024–2025). This reflects both the scale of outreach and sustained engagement across target communities.




2. Certifications Issued:Completion certificates have been issued to program graduates upon meeting training requirements. These credentials validate acquired competencies and strengthen participants’ employability profiles, supporting entry into technology-enabled roles or income-generating activities.




3. Local Employment Opportunities Created: A core performance outcome of the project is the creation of tangible local employment pathways for trained youth, moving beyond training delivery toward verified labor-market absorption. The program has achieved an employability and income-generation rate exceeding 48% among participants, evidencing successful transition into jobs, self-employment, or income-producing activities within their local economies.A core performance outcome is the creation of tangible employment and income pathways for trained youth, moving beyond training delivery toward verified labor-market absorption. TechRoots has achieved an employability and income-generation rate exceeding 48% among participants, evidencing successful transitions into jobs, self-employment, and other income-producing activities within local economies. This reflects structural impact rather than short-term intervention effects: by connecting skills development to market demand and local opportunity ecosystems, TechRoots addresses youth unemployment, reduces vulnerability to precarious work, and contributes to breaking intergenerational poverty and inequality through sustained economic inclusion.




4. Labor Inclusion to Combat Poverty:Beyond training, TechRoots is observing increased inclusion of trained youth in local job markets and income opportunities. This indicator reinforces the program’s mission to shift economic trajectories in disadvantaged communities by linking skills to tangible livelihood outcomes.




5. Economic Growth Indicators:In collaboration with local authorities and relevant institutions, TechRoots is assessing economic growth indicators in the target areas to quantify broader community-level effects. These indicators aim to provide a more comprehensive view of how improved skills, employability, and local innovation capacity contribute to the socio-economic landscape over time.

Project Progress (2025): In 2025, TechRoots continues to expand access, strengthen community ties, and build opportunity pathways for economic empowerment. Ongoing efforts are focused on deepening local innovation ecosystems and sustaining momentum—so that more participants can translate digital skills into stable income, entrepreneurship, and long-term mobility.

More information at: https://tecsify.com/techroots/