Barcelona, 22 February de 2024.- ISS Foundation 'Una Sonrisa Más' has signed a collaboration agreement with Probitas Foundation with the aim of facilitating decent employment in the health field addressed to people from vulnerable communities in Guatemala, especially women. The initiative, called "Becas Una Sonrisa Más", which will be implemented in alliance with FUNDAP School of Nursing in Quezaltenango, will promote the training of 29 young people who, thanks to this financial aid, will be able to train and obtain the official certificate of nursing assistant.

The project, which will run for 2024 and 2025, will receive a contribution of 60,000 euros from ISS Foundation to cover the costs of enrolment, monthly fees, uniforms and support for maintenance during the training course, which lasts for one year. Probitas Foundation, with extensive experience in international health projects management since 2008, will develop the training programme altogether with FUNDAP.

The nursing assistant course will provide the young scholarship holders with the necessary knowledge to work in the health field, with a special focus on community health and the mother-and-child division. They will also carry out an internship programme in their communities of origin. Finally, they will receive support for their integration into the labour market and will be put in contact with organisations and companies from the health sector.

In words of Eulalia Devesa, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at ISS Spain, "this initiative will contribute to improving the quality and coverage of health services in Guatemala, through the training of young people in rural areas, especially women, with limited economic resources, and through a scholarship mechanism that will allow them to improve their job prospects and break the cycle of poverty".

Anna Veiga, Director General of the Probitas Foundation, said that "the project has a multiplier effect in the rural region, as the graduates will be able to contribute to the economic and social growth of their communities through their work in the health sector".

Shortage of health personnel

Guatemala has significant shortages of health personnel in different health areas, both among medical and nursing staff. Specifically, nursing staff has a ratio of six workers per 10,000 inhabitants, well below the average for the region. These staff are concentrated in urban areas, making access to medical services in rural areas difficult.  Moreover, training centres are almost non-existent in rural areas.

In FUNDAP's School of Nursing Assistants, the profile of the nursing student corresponds to a woman between 18 and 20 years of age and unemployed. Specifically, 46% of the students do not have a job that allows them to cover the costs of their studies. "Against this backdrop, the scholarship programme not only strengthens access to training opportunities in the field of health and, as a result, the incorporation into the labour market in this field, but also seeks to reduce inequalities and contribute to the Guatemalan health system," concluded Devesa.

About ISS

ISS Spain is part of the Danish multinational ISS Group, whose international revenues in 2022 amounted to 9.52 billion euros. ISS Spain, which has been present in the country for more than 20 years, is committed to creating more efficient work environments with the aim of contributing to the well-being of people and adapting to their needs. With a team of almost 30,000 employees, the company is currently a leader in the integration of services, offering cleaning, technical and workplace services to clients from different sectors, both public and private.

Under its OneISS strategy, and from its commitment to connect people and places to build a better world, ISS promotes the well-being of people while minimising the impact on the environment. In partnership with its customers, ISS brings this to life through a unique combination of data, knowledge and service excellence in offices, industries, hospitals and other spaces around the world.

About Fundación Probitas

Since 2008, the Probitas Foundation has been helping to improve the health, well-being and equal opportunities of vulnerable people at local and international level. At the international level, Probitas develops programmes that strengthen the capacities of public health systems in countries with scarce health resources.