Madrid, 19th February – TUBACEX FOUNDATION has joined forces with UNICEF Spain to support the right to education for vulnerable children in South America. Through a partnership signed today, TUBACEX FOUNDATION will contribute to UNICEF’s efforts to protect and empower children by promoting a safe and healthy educational environment for 7,200 children in Guyana and Suriname.
The agreement was signed in the presence of the President of UNICEF’s Basque Country Committee, Joseba Madariaga, and the Director of Sustainability at Tubacex, Nagore Larrea. This collaboration highlights the role of the TUBACEX Foundation, which, as an agent of change within the industrial, foundational, and philanthropic ecosystem, leverages its capabilities and commitment in service of global development.
Guyana and Suriname face significant challenges in terms of human development and inequality. While Guyana is classified as a high human development country (ranking 95th out of 193 countries) and Suriname as medium (ranking 124th), internal disparities and a lack of resources create substantial challenges for children in both nations.
With a shared conviction that every child should have access to quality education, the two organizations have come together to make a difference. In Guyana, the project will focus on improving school infrastructure, enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene services for 6,000 students. Currently, only one-third of schools in Guyana have access to basic water services, which negatively impacts students’ learning, health, and dignity, with a particularly severe effect on girls.
The partnership will also create a positive impact in neighbouring Suriname, where, with the support of TUBACEX FOUNDATION, UNICEF will strengthen its efforts to improve early childhood education access.
Despite the fact that learning is largely built in the early years of life, access to education for children aged 3-4 in Suriname is limited, with fewer than half attending early childhood or preschool programs. This affects literacy levels, socio-emotional development, and perpetuates a cycle of low academic performance and high dropout rates, limiting opportunities for vulnerable populations. To address this issue, the project will enable 1,200 children to access early learning programs.
Nagore Larrea, Director of Sustainability at Tubacex, stated:
“At the TUBACEX Foundation, we are committed to education as a fundamental pillar for children’s development and well-being. Through our collaboration with UNICEF, we continue working to ensure that children have access to quality education, protecting them from injustices and giving them the opportunity for a more equitable future free from inequalities.”
Meanwhile, Joseba Madariaga, President of UNICEF’s Basque Country Committee, emphasized: “We are immensely proud to once again join forces with the TUBACEX Foundation, a benchmark of solidarity and international cooperation within the Basque industry. At a time when promoting the values of global solidarity is more important than ever, their commitment to equitable global development through children’s rights will have a significant positive impact on the children of Guyana and Suriname, where we are working to improve the educational environment and ensure schools are safe and healthy learning spaces.”
This initiative, which will continue until 2027, reinforces TUBACEX FOUNDATION’s commitment to education and sustainable development. It builds on the precedent set between the organizations, which previously collaborated from 2017 to 2019 to improve educational conditions for thousands of children in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, India.
The partnership between TUBACEX FOUNDATION and UNICEF Spain aims to address educational disparities by creating environments that promote equal opportunities and enhance the quality of life for the most vulnerable children. This collaboration serves as a powerful example of how the private sector—specifically the industrial sector and its philanthropic initiatives—can join forces with UNICEF to drive lasting and meaningful change for children in need.
