Through our Ethnic Higher Education Program, “Transforming Lives Fund,” we support the dreams of 100 Indigenous youth: 55 women and 45 men, who have taken a bold step: leaving their communities to study in distant cities and return with the knowledge needed to protect their territory, culture, and people.
Today, they are pursuing degrees at various universities and institutions across the country in fields such as environmental engineering, law, ethnoeducation, nursing, accounting, business administration, anthropology, psychology, social work and many others. They are not only gaining technical knowledge, they are cultivating a critical vision deeply connected to community life, nature, and the challenges of the 21st century.
Today, they are pursuing degrees at various universities and institutions across the country in fields such as environmental engineering, law, ethnoeducation, nursing, accounting, business administration, anthropology, psychology, social work and many others. They are not only gaining technical knowledge, they are cultivating a critical vision deeply connected to community life, nature, and the challenges of the 21st century.
The program covers tuition, housing, transportation, meals, study materials, and equipment, allowing each student to focus on what truly matters: learning with identity, dignity, and purpose. In return, they make a vital commitment: to return to Matavén and use their knowledge in service of their people.
Each of these young people is a seed of transformation. Through their eyes, Matavén looks to the future without losing its roots. They are guardians in training, leaders in the making, and the strongest proof that education, when rooted in culture and territory, is one of the most powerful tools for change.