Driving education to transform the future
The Roberto Rocca Scholarships program has been held for the second consecutive year at the Pacayacu Educational Unit in Ecuador, nearly doubling the number of distinctions awarded in recognition of academic excellence and commitment.
The Pacayacu Educational Unit, located in the parish of the same name, lies in the Lago Agrio canton in Ecuador. It’s at this school that children and teenagers nurse their aspirations and dreams, and it’s where they take part in the Roberto Rocca Scholarships program (the BRR in Spanish), an initiative that helps young people to progress by leveraging young talent.
The BRR are an economic and symbolic contribution not only for the students, but also for the families living in this community. In the words of Darwin Vega, Community Relations Specialist, “the main objective of this initiative is to support students who set an example through their achievements and attitude, but who need help to continue their studies.”
The beneficiaries of these awards receive a cash sum as well as a diploma and a medal, presented at an event hosted at the school for students and their families and also attended by teachers and Tecpetrol representatives. In 2023, 18 scholarships were awarded, and in 2024 the number almost doubled, bringing it to 30, a success further enhanced by the fact that 24 of the beneficiaries were women.
Alberto Narváez, Operations Sr. Manager, explains that in general, women in Pacayacu “have to combat the difficulties of living in a violent and sexist society,” and that “they’re the ones with the least access to jobs.” Along these lines, Cynthia Montoya, Human Resources Business Partner Manager, adds that, “we’re looking for a way to connect all the values that we share in education and social inclusion, and add the gender issue as well.”
“Education is a way of changing people’s individual life situations. We are creating transformation processes that can be seen shining in the eyes of these girls and boys, in the warmth of their families’ joy, and in the firm handshake they share with the authorities,” acknowledges Santiago Padilla, Production and Facilities Manager.
The BRR are very much seen as an incentive for children to aim for more ambitious horizons, based on their effort, commitment, tenacity and passion. “Education is one of the founding values of the Group, as it was for the person who originally inspired these scholarships: Roberto Rocca himself,” indicates Francisco Do Pico, Country Director Ecuador.
Looking to the future, Francisco points out that, “the objective is to be able to give continuity to the education of these different age groups. We want to be able to accompany them in their university or tertiary studies after they graduate from high school.” He adds that, “we are very keen to do all we can to support, advise and train the students at the Pacayacu Educational Unit, whether it’s about legal, commercial, economic, technical or safety issues. We are delighted to be able to contribute whatever we can in terms of their education,” he concludes.