India & Peru: STEM opportunities for the next generation

As the world of work evolves, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills remain in high demand. Careers in these areas offer economic stability and opportunities to make a positive social impact – yet too few students choose this path.

To counter this, the GEA Foundation has teamed up with several strategic partners. One of these is UNICEF, which has global expertise in supporting children and advancing children's rights. Through a donation of EUR 1.8 million, the foundation is supporting UNICEF over a three-year period to improve access to STEM education for young people in disadvantaged regions of Peru and India. Country-specific programs equip adolescents with technical knowledge, practical skills and the confidence to pursue careers that were once beyond their reach.

Peru: Helping girls unlock their STEM career potential

In the Loreto region, deep in the Amazon, many girls grow up facing significant disadvantages. Poverty, limited access to quality education and technical training as well as traditional gender stereotypes all contribute to restricting their future career prospects. The constellation of poverty, rural location and gender discrimination is not readily visible, and is nearly impossible for girls to overcome on their own.

The GEA Foundation supports UNICEF's +ChicasTec program which helps adolescent girls discover and develop their potential in STEM. Participants benefit from web programming training, mentoring from female STEM professionals and structured confidence-building activities.

To ensure a strong foundation for long-term success, UNICEF worked closely with regional education authorities to select partner schools. In a second step, needs assessments were conducted with students and teachers; STEM training adapted to local realities; and partnerships established with technical education centers and local businesses.

This collaborative approach ensures training is built around the needs of the communities it serves. By preparing teachers, strengthening local partnerships and creating pathways into technical education, the initiative helps more girls see STEM as a realistic and exciting future.

India: Preparing young people for STEM roles

India is home to one of the world's largest adolescent populations, yet millions of young people, especially girls in rural communities, continue to face unequal access to quality education and career opportunities. At the same time, employers increasingly require digital, technical and problem-solving skills.

With support from the GEA Foundation, UNICEF helps young people in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat prepare for this changing world.

In the program's first year of support by the GEA Foundation, more than 115,000 students (41% of them girls) received career guidance, STEM learning support and employability skills training. Also, roughly 2,300 teachers strengthened their capabilities in STEM education, career counseling and digital learning. To date, the program has reached 1,250 schools, creating a strong platform for future expansion.

Beyond classroom learning, the initiative connects students with industry partners through career fairs, workplace visits and job-shadowing opportunities. These experiences help young people understand how education can translate into meaningful careers.

In parallel, program leaders work with families, schools and communities to challenge gender stereotypes and encourage more girls to pursue STEM education with confidence.

Creating lasting impact through partnership

Education has the power to transform lives, but lasting change requires collaboration. By combining UNICEF's global expertise in child development with the GEA Foundation's commitment to creating opportunities through education, this partnership helps young people gain the skills they need to thrive.

The impact extends far beyond individual classrooms. Better-trained teachers, stronger education systems, closer connections between schools and employers, and greater opportunities for girls all contribute to more resilient communities and stronger local economies.

For the GEA Foundation, investing in STEM education is an investment in people, innovation and sustainable development. Together with UNICEF, we are helping young people in Peru and India build the knowledge, confidence and opportunities they need to shape their own futures – and the future of their communities.

^{Sources:
1) Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI), Perú: "Evolución de la Pobreza Monetaria, 2014–2023," published May 9, 2024.
2) Ministerio de Educación del Perú (MINEDU), Unidad de Medición de la Calidad de los Aprendizajes (UMC), "Evaluación Nacional de Logros de Aprendizaje (ENLA) 2023."
3) Ministry of Education, Government of India, "UDISE+ 2024–25."
4) National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), PARAKH, "Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024."
5) Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education, Government of India, "All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)."}