Catalina Escobar

Colombia is recognized today as a country of great economic growth and prosperity. Its GDP has grown an average of 5.1% in the last seven to eight years, and economic development is expected to continue. However, the largest and poorest socioeconomic group, or the base of the pyramid, has realized less than 0.5% of economic growth. In Latin American countries, only Haiti and Angola have a higher level of social disparity. This concerns me deeply, because what stimulates growth at the base of the pyramid is a strong youthful demographic, especially teenagers.

I work in Cartagena, one of the poorest cities in Colombia, where 29% of pregnancies are in adolescent girls. Once pregnant, these girls face numerous economic and social challenges. Most girls immediately drop out of school, ensuring a life of poverty in which they cannot contribute to the country's development. Without work or education, the girls often become pregnant again, repeating the same poverty cycle experienced by their mothers and many generations before.

I manage the Juan Felipe Gómez Escobar Foundation, which has worked with over 2,000 teenage mothers in Colombia, most recruited from situations of extreme poverty during their first pregnancy. The foundation understands the culture, the statistics, the social issues, and the solutions. We apply managerial skills in our non-profit pursuits because to reach our goals, we must be accountable and strive for excellence in our results. This disciplined approach contributes to achieving measurable social impact.