health
Luis Hostia: Young man with a disability who overcame all barriers
In San Sebastián de Buenavista, south of Magdalena, access to education at any level has been a distant possibility for decades, even more so for higher education. For thousands of young people, high school marked the limit of their aspirations, dreams, and life projects for over 200 years.
TL;DR
- Luis Fernando Hostia, a 26-year-old from San Sebastián de Buenavista, Magdalena, graduated as a social worker through the 'Becas del Cambio' program.
- Access to higher education was historically limited in his region, with high school often being the educational ceiling for many.
- Hostia, who uses a wheelchair due to a genetic condition, persevered through multiple attempts to enroll in the program.
- The 'Becas del Cambio' program provides scholarships to low-income youth, offering quality higher education for free.
- Since 2021, the program has benefited over 9,689 young people, offering more than 45 academic programs.
- The initiative is part of a broader educational policy rooted in the reforms undertaken at the Universidad del Magdalena by Carlos Caicedo.
- The Fondo para la Gratuidad de la Educación Superior (FONGES), created in 2021, guarantees free tuition for university students in the department.