For over 30 years, the SUMATE Foundation network from Hogar de Cristo in Chile has worked in one of the most challenging fields of education: building bridges and transforming the lives of thousands of vulnerable youths who are out of school, many of whom the regular education system rejected. This challenging job requires addressing not only academic gaps but also social and emotional ones, often dealing with long stories of family poverty, traumas, poor nutrition, family instability, learning difficulties, stigma, and a lack of motivation or self-confidence.

SUMATE offers youths with two or more years of educational gaps a new meaning, environment, and opportunities to address previous negative experiences and complete their secondary education. It includes vocational training and certified skills programs that transform their lives and better prepare them to enter the labor market or pursue higher education.

IMPACT 2024 -Educational reintegration.
Total: 10 programs – total 1,289 students.
Reentry school (Three schools located in Santiago): 4 programs, 701 students.
Socio-educational: 5 programs, 445 students.
Reentry classroom: 1 program, 143 students.

Vocational training:
In addition to secondary instruction, vocational training with certified skills options is provided through hands-on training in fields such as gastronomy, catering services, and beauty and personal care. It includes support to facilitate students’ successful transition into the workforce. Other high-demand market skills training courses are currently being evaluated for incorporation as options in the future.

All the above provide youths from disadvantaged backgrounds with practical skills and professional competencies to improve their employability and economic self-sufficiency. It also creates opportunities for them to pursue technical or higher education.

Costs:
Annual unit cost per participant includes direct and indirect costs, such as instructional staff salaries, consumable training materials, educational toolkits, uniforms, and related operational expenses necessary to ensure a high-quality learning experience.

Annual unit cost per participant:
• Gastronomy: USD520
• Catering Services: USD486
• Beauty and Personal Care: USD457
• Average Cost per participant: USD488

Annual cost per class-year:
Based on 25 participants.
• Gastronomy: USD13,000/class-year
• Catering Services: USD12,150/class-year
• Beauty and Personal Care: USD11,425/class-year
• Average Cost/class per year: USD12,192

Partnership with SUMATE – voluntarism and corporate responsibility:
A proactive and voluntary engagement of companies and their employees to participate in our social causes.

Our foundation manages the corporate mentoring program, a structured, volunteer-based initiative to facilitate the socio-professional integration of vulnerable youth through direct corporate engagement and mentorship.

Per Capita Cost and aggregated (5-month participation):
• USD168 per participant-youth
• The total program costs 90 youth over 5 months: USD 15,120

We invite you to make a lasting impact on a vulnerable youth’s life.

To donate, please click HERE. 

HOGAR DE CRISTO USA