SCH Monterrey – Creating Opportunities and Changing Lives

We are always proud of our local Solar Community Hub (SCH) partners – our impact is only possible thanks to the strength and commitment of these incredible organisations embedded in their communities. By supporting and empowering local groups, we invest in local knowledge, leadership, and ownership.

What sets our work apart from traditional aid or development models is the range of our partners, both in geography and organisational type. From grassroots organisations like Code Green in Kajiado, Kenya, or Zuri Foundation in Mamaila, South Africa, each led by a small group of passionate local leaders, to larger, established institutions such as Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec de Monterrey) in Monterrey and Guadalajara, Mexico, all partners share one key trait: a deep commitment to improving lives and creating better opportunities for future generations.

Through the SCH program, we have had the privilege of meeting truly inspiring local leaders. Many of them live in communities where daily life is tough, but their passion and dedication push them to overcome challenges and create lasting change.

When we decided to partner with a large institution like Tec de Monterrey, we had a number of questions:
Could a big organisation bring the same level of passion to solve local social issues?
Would faculty, staff, and students show the same level of dedication as grassroots community leaders?

Leading by Example

After just five months of operations, Tec de Monterrey has answered those questions loud and clear. Any doubts about their commitment vanished as soon as we observed the results.

• 40 participants have joined the ‘Brecha Digital Cero’ programme, a 14-hour training course designed to build digital literacy and tech skills, enabling participants to confidently use technology and digital resources.
• 50 people have completed ‘Computación para Todos,’ a 10-hour course that teaches basic Office tools like PowerPoint, Word, and Excel, helping to close the digital gap and build digital confidence.
• 20 students participated in a 16-session programme on Robotics and Code Explorer, developing STEM skills through hands-on learning.

But that’s not all. The hub also offers a wide range of community activities—from Latin dance classes for local women and film afternoons, to innovative workshops like ‘Escuela de Ternura’ (School of Tenderness), which teaches mothers how to raise children with kindness, and ‘Geniopolis,’ an after-school programme covering English, Maths, Science, Music, and Typing.

The programme results and impact numbers are impressive, but what truly stood out was the curriculum behind these initiatives. Both of our main contacts, Carlos Bejos, National Director of Digital Inclusion and Prepanet, and Abraham Rea Ponce, Digital Inclusion Leader at Tec de Monterrey knew every single detail of the training content. They are not just overseeing the programme; they are the teachers. They volunteer their time and lead the courses themselves after their regular work hours.

Carlos shared a memorable message with us. It was a WhatsApp message from one of his students, Francisca Peña, sent in the group chat for the course:

Good morning. I want to share something with you.

Today we were asked to go to CBTIS (Centre for Industrial and Services Technological Baccalaureate) to answer a survey. I had no idea what it was about.

I arrived, and they took us to a computer room; there were about 40 computers, I think.

They told us: “You just need to enter your CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población -National ID) and it will guide you from there.”
I felt like a pro, haha—I sat down, adjusted the keyboard just like we were taught, and got started.

I looked at the screen and handled it so easily. Then I overheard others asking questions like:
“Where do I enter my CURP?”
“Where’s the letter ñ?”
“How do I select an answer?”

And that’s when I realised, I would’ve been one of those asking questions, if it weren’t for the classes.

Thank you so much.

It may seem simple, but clicking the mouse, knowing how to delete something, or scrolling down to keep answering multiple-choice questions—all of that takes learning.

Thanks to the great teachers, I’ve learned a lot, and I’ll keep learning.”

Francisca Peña

This SCH programme with Tec de Monterrey is funded by Dell Technologies and UKG.