Google is a company that believes deeply in entrepreneurship. And this is a company that believes deeply in the power of information. We don’t think there’s another organization that combines these two things in a more compelling way than Ashoka.
Rafael Alvarez
| Country: | United States |
| Region: | North America |
| Field Of Work: | Learning/Education |
| Subsectors: | Access to Learning/Education, Income Generation, Non-formal Education |
| Target Populations: | Underserved Communities, Unemployed/Working Poor, Youth |
| Organization: | Genesys Works |
| Year Elected: | 2006 |
Rafael is helping industry leaders, schools, and disadvantaged youth discover that they have much to offer each other. Employers need skilled, motivated workers to grow their companies. However, talented low-income youth don’t see themselves headed for these corporate jobs. They aim for – not beyond – high school graduation. Rafael’s organization, Genesys Works, gives low-income teens training in high-tech jobs and exposure to professional work environments proving his belief that students who experience success in “that first professional job” while still in high school are more likely to go to college and go on to thrive in the economic mainstream. Ten of the fifteen largest companies in Houston employ Genesys Works students, 90% of whom go to college. No companies have dropped out, in fact most ask for additional students each year.
