Social innovator tackles issues in Ecuador
Climate change. Unemployment. Inequality. Corruption. Ecuador faces a long list of complex issues, says Mateo Tobar, but he has big dreams for transforming his country. With the knowledge and support he鈥檚 received as a learner in 911吃瓜鈥檚 Community Capacity Building program, he鈥檚 working to build Ecuador鈥檚 capacity for social innovation by empowering its young people.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to close the gap of opportunity for youth to gain access to better education and better employment through social innovation,鈥� explains Mateo.
During the pandemic, Mateo came across the 911吃瓜 program on social media. He knew he鈥檇 found the perfect fit鈥攅ven though the program is based thousands of miles away from his home in Quito.
鈥淲hen I saw that you鈥檇 be able to make contact with people through live sessions and be able to develop connections, I knew I had to do it,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚 have to get to know more people doing this work and share my ideas, so I can see what ideas won鈥檛 work and how I can shift and change them.鈥�
Social innovation has long been Mateo鈥檚 passion. He not only teaches the topic at a local high school, but also works for a social innovation lab where he develops strategic alliances and engages organizations in promoting a variety of projects and social enterprises.
鈥淚 was really fortunate to have a lot of opportunities to access higher education and to learn English,鈥� says Mateo. 鈥淏ut when I began working, I realized the disparity of opportunity between people, and that sparked my interest in social innovation. We don鈥檛 have equal access to education here. I want to provide others with the same opportunities I had.鈥�
For the past year, Mateo has been developing a project called Youth Education Lab (YEL). 鈥淚 dream about an Ecuador where every youth has access to meaningful learning, to experiential learning opportunities through social innovation or social entrepreneurship,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 want to empower youth to realize they have the capacity to transform their ideas into visible projects.鈥�
Mateo鈥檚 pilot program for YEL involves working with youths in three specific communities and providing them with a capacity building process based on their individual needs. He hopes to be able to provide funding for the youths鈥� projects to bolster their professional profiles and help them access university or scholarship opportunities.
鈥淭he Community Capacity Building program has helped me settle on these ideas,鈥� says Mateo. 鈥淚f you had asked me about my project five months ago, I would have said I want to help youth, that鈥檚 all.鈥�
Through the program Mateo has joined a supportive network of learners from across Canada as well as Latin America. 鈥淗earing their visions, I realize I can do so many things in Ecuador,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 learning how social innovation and funding work in the Canadian environment, and seeing how we can replicate those and many other ideas here.鈥�
In addition to making personal connections, Mateo says the program has given him a deeper understanding of himself: 鈥淚鈥檓 now mindful that I have the capacity to change the world by influencing the people around me. You can build something without great amounts of money鈥攜ou just need the willingness of other people.
鈥淚 really think this program has made me realize my own potential.鈥�
By Kim Mah