Óscar Morales Cuéllar is considered a visionary in technology, Innovation and education. He is recognized as one of the most influential Guatemalans of his generation. He currently serves as general director of Tecsify Latin America.
With its project it has become a global reference, by transforming education and facilitating access to innovation through initiatives that have been awarded and recognized internationally. Between April 6 and 11 he will receive an award in India, in the World Summit Award (Wsa), A unique awards system that selects and promotes local digital innovations aimed at improving society, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, of the United Nations Organization.
Tecsify, by Guatemala is among the winners with Ukraine, Zambia, Votentnam, Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil, to mention part of those selected.
Other of the multiple awards he has received is to have been named as one of the main innovators in science and technology by the National Secretariat of Science and Technology (Senacyt)in 2023, and was distinguished by the World Economic Forum (WEF, in English) for its work in innovation in digital education, to mention some of the spaces in which he has highlighted.
In an interview by Zoom, he shared with free press part of his history, projects and dreams:
Why did this business model begin, which opens the opportunity to learn through technology?
In Guatemala, more than 150 thousand young people graduate every year Every year, many of them with the title of Bachelors in Computing, in institutes that do not have computers or with electricity. How can we expect these people to get a job or be competitive, if the education system already failed them? It is there where we intervene. Through different platforms, we want people to insert themselves into a circular economy, in which they are trained in different skills and, in addition, we support them in the elaboration of their resume, so that they can access a job. I was born in 1999, in a family of quite limited resources.
Thanks to the support of many people and different scholarships I managed to study. But what about those who do not have those resources? What happens if someone is born in a Quiché village? What happens if someone is born in a place where there is no computer or electric power, but has potential? How to get these people to move forward?
From a young age a passion for technology was born in me, but also for social development; A passion for people to give their best and can break the chains of poverty and inequality.
How do they reach the needy population?
It seems very interesting to observe that, when the interior of the country is visited, Even in the poorest villages, in general, there is at least one smartphone per familyeven if it is an economic one, of some Q200. Many times they do not have access to the Internet or only use it to see social networks, without taking advantage of their full potential. Therefore, we have created tools such as chatbots in WhatsApp and Telegram, that allow people to learn artificial programming and intelligence in a didactic way. In addition, on our platform we have a course on how to elaborate a modern and professional curriculum in a few minutes. More than 70% of employment opportunities are generated by personal references, 30% are selected by their resume, and only 5% are written correctly. It is worrying that something so fundamental to finding work is not taught properly.
Many people elaborate their curriculum in a Word file, with unnecessary elements, such as including their preprimary education. Therefore, through our platform, the option of creating this document is offered creatively, with the support of artificial intelligence. We arrive at the communities or the places where we have beneficiaries, to show these learning opportunities. Interested persons fill out a form, which allows us to know them and ensure their commitment to finish each of the available options. We have a fund and seek support to manage the project and ensure that they reach those who need it for free. Those who have the economic capacity to acquire the courses can also do so, and thereby contribute to the support of the model.
When studying abroad and being invited, what has allowed you to know other realities?
I have had the opportunity to give conferences in Berlin, Switzerland and other first world countries, and I have been amazed with the way these places work. Then I wonder: Why don’t we have this in Guatemala?
I studied in a public school and I know what it is to get to the classroom and find the broken desk. Over time I understood that, when we educate, we all benefit, and the chains of poverty and inequality are broken. When we fight against poverty and inequality, we allow more and more people to reach their potential. Thus, we all have a better country. We are currently a team of 10 people. We work in Guatemala and collaborate with people outside the country. They take care of the maintenance of platforms and the development of new products. They often ask us why we have not left the country. I think there is still much to do here in Guatemala, and we trust that we can achieve it.
How far would I want to get with your project?
I consider that the most important thing is to be able to reach the people who need it most. However, it is essential that we maintain the scalability of the model so that it does not become unsustainable. We want to become the main referents in technological education.
They will receive an international award. What is it about?
For the first time, the World Summit Award 2025the most prestigious recognition in digital and social innovation will award Guatemala.
We are the only country in Latin America to achieve it. It is a relevant prize because it recognizes companies that promote innovation and social development. We compete with projects from Central America and Latin America, and we are winners in the region.
We remain among the main global winners. On April 1 I will travel to India to receive the prize from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We will also be recognized in Arab Emirates for training more than 20,000 young people in artificial intelligence and programming using only their phones and for free.
We will be as special guests and, among more than 10,000 projects, we are among the main global winners, with a technology directed from Guatemala and made for Guatemalans. I feel excited, because if I could return to tell the child who looked at his broken desk, he would not believe it. In Guatemala there is talent, but opportunities are missing.
Honors
- Recognition of the World Economic Forum (WEF) by Innovation in Digital Education (for the impact of Tecsify-Techroots on the democratization of access to knowledge in Latin America).
- Guest of Honor and Conferenced in the United Nations, World Economic Forum and FAO (for its leadership at the intersection of technology, innovation and sustainable development).
- Selected as a prominent character in science and technology by Senacyt 2023 (distinction to the most influential Guatemalans in science and technology).
- International Award for Digital Transformation (awarded for their work in technology applied to development and digital inclusion).
- World Summit Awards Winner (recognized as the most innovative project in education and technology in Guatemala, with global impact).