Can a mobile phone unlock a better future in Latin America?

In Latin America, poverty is extremely evident throughout the region with a total of 168 million people living below the poverty line. The majority of those are 15-29-year olds who are left susceptible to a difficult life due to the lack of education and without the stability of a permanent job.

In an effort to combat this, The Carlos Slim Foundation and America Movil have embarked on an incredible journey – one which brings free education to remote communities across the region through the use of mobile phones.

Young adults can access free online courses on a range of educational topics – from culture and art to history and maths – and it’s giving the next generation of Latin Americans the chance to learn, prosper, and thrive.

Although a simple premise, Mariel (@MarielGalana) learned that aprende.org possessed unlimited life-changing potential for young adults who have no access to education, and met with three young Mexicans to find out the positive impact of this mobile revolution.

One of them was Alejandro Reyes, President of the Farmers of the Mountain Range Coast Society of Michoacan. He expanded his agricultural and farming skillset by using the aprende.org app to take the relevant courses – further amplifying his knowledge, efficiency, and ultimately profits.

With mobile technology the portal, and aprende.org the means, this initiative can deliver knowledge to those who need it most. And through tumultuous and complex times, it’s a great example of what’s possible when access and ambition come together.