As part of the Cosechando Oportunidades program, Guatecaña, with the support of the sugar mills that comprise it, including Grupo Pantaleon, awarded 12 university scholarships to young people from the South Coast to continue their higher education at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), South Campus. This effort reaffirms the Sugarcane Agroindustry’s commitment to local development, promoting education as a key tool to transform lives and communities.
The beneficiaries, young people aged 18 to 25, come from areas such as La Democracia, Escuintla, Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Masagua, Siquinalá, Nueva Concepción in Escuintla; and Patulul and San Juan Bautista in Suchitepéquez. The scholarships cover five years of studies in technical fields such as Agricultural and Livestock Technology Engineering, Automotive Technology and Transportation Management, Industrial Technology, as well as one year of English language training.
The awarding ceremony took place at the UVG South Campus, where Luis Miguel Paiz, General Manager of Asazgua, emphasized: “At Guatecaña, we are committed to ensuring that every action and decision we make contributes to harvesting a brighter future for all Guatemalans. This is why we support these young individuals, giving them opportunities for personal and professional growth so they, in turn, can create a positive impact on their families and communities.”
The Cosechando Oportunidades program, funded by the sugar mills, has enabled technical and university education for more than 2,800 young people, providing them with the tools needed for successful integration into the job market and contributing to Guatemala’s development. This year, as in previous ones, the scholarships cover enrollment fees, monthly tuition, and learning materials.
During the ceremony, Fernando Rivera Turcios, Executive Director of UVG, highlighted the importance of higher education as a driver of development. Additionally, Pablo Cardona, one of the scholarship recipients, expressed gratitude for the support and reaffirmed his commitment to seizing this opportunity to improve the quality of life for his family and community.
Grupo Pantaleon is proud to be part of these initiatives, which not only strengthen the social structure of communities on the South Coast but also drive Guatemala’s progress through education and sustainable development.