The Ponte la Verde covid-19 non-profit initiative inspired young people from Mexico to develop ideas with a high social impact in the fields of health, nutrition and education. 

Support of up to 10 million pesos will be provided in the form of seed capital for the selected projects to be implemented and positively impact vulnerable sections of Mexico's population. 

The 5,800 participants will receive a Santander scholarship and those selected will have access to courses certified by internationally renowned universities. 

Mexico City, 8 May 2020 .
More than 5,800 young people and citizens across 32 Mexican states participated in the Ponte la Verde covid-19 social initiative, sharing their ideas to combat the effects of the pandemic in the fields of health, nutrition and education, supporting the most vulnerable groups of the population. The initiative is supported by more than 50 companies, civil organisations and educational institutions. 

A total of 1,435 projects were submitted by young people from more than 340 universities and civil society, of which six were selected. These projects will now receive professional support and up to 10 million pesos of seed capital, to be used by the teams to implement their ideas and thus have a positive impact on the community. They will also have access to an entrepreneurship and digital business innovation programme and, for the highest scoring participants, online scholarships from Banco Santander, to study courses certified by internationally recognised universities. 

Furthermore, the 5,800 who submitted a project as part of this initiative will receive a Santander scholarship to access skill development and training courses to facilitate their insertion into the labour market and obtain tools for entrepreneurship. 

Among the ideas submitted as part of Ponte la Verde covid-19, 34% focussed on health, 39% on nutrition and 27% on education. The period for submitting projects ran from 8 to 28 April through Santander X, Banco Santander's global university entrepreneurship platform. 

The projects selected are: 

1. Project name: “Co-pera conectando un respiro”
   Field: health and nutrition
   Solution: data on the spread of covid-19 will be collected using a digital platform and communication concerning the protection of health will be enhanced. In addition, needs will be mapped, connecting vulnerable communities and hospitals with local businesses and industry that can provide basic items to counter the effects of the contingency. 
2. Project name: “Todas y Todos Comen”
   Field: nutrition
   Solution: ensure access to healthy food by vulnerable groups in towns of less than 50,000 inhabitants. 
3. Project name: “Mi Tiendita Segura”
   Field: nutrition
   Solution: create a certification system with empowerment tools to MSMEs (micro, small, and medium-size enterprises) through training and orientation to keep them active during the pandemic and offer them better opportunities for the future. 
4. Project name: “Jóvenes Embajadores Indígenas Frente al covid-19”
   Field: education
   Solution: enhance care and prevention messages in indigenous languages, adapting communication through posters, commercials, videos and megaphone advertising in communities in the state of Oaxaca and other entities across Mexico. 
5. Project name: “EYEX”
   Field: health
   Solution: implement a covid-19 diagnostics and monitoring platform using mass digitalisation and X-ray analysis using algorithms based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. 
6. Project name: “Dos Causas”
   Field: nutrition
   Solution: a support network will be created through a digital platform, where local restaurants and businesses can reopen and send food to the most vulnerable families. 

Ponte la Verde covid-19 appreciates the interest and involvement of the young people and citizens who submitted their ideas, demonstrating that nothing can stop Mexico. Also worth noting is the support received from more than 50 companies, civil organisations and educational institutions, which have made this initiative a reality. 

For further information and to follow the project, visit: www.pontelaverdecovid19.mx 

Ponte la Verde covid-19 is a non-profit initiative that invited patriotic young people and citizens across Mexico to generate projects with a high social impact to combat the impacts of the pandemic in the fields of health, nutrition and education. The following major companies, foundations and educational institutions helped launch and undertake of this social project: Pinfra, Grupo Mexico, Inter Protección, Fundación José Cuervo, Santander, GEPP, GBM, Promecap, Rotoplas, Broxel, AM Advisors, Vesta, BID Group, Tecnológico de Monterrey,

ITAM, Fundación UNAM, Universidad Latinoamericana, UTC, Universidad Panamericana, Ibero, Lotus Education, Alibaba Business School, ANUIES, Centro de Emprendimiento e Innovación, Líderes en Desarrollo, Líderes del mañana, Ashoka, Fundación Televisa, Fundación Alsea, American Chamber Mexico, FUNED, Fundación GBM, Mexico X Mexico, Continuum, Christel House Mexico, Fundación Origen, Procura, Gilberto A.C., Dos Estudio, Ánima, Avalancha, Gosmo, Vázquez Nava Consultores y Asociados, Síclo, Edelman, Metabase, Kuspit and MassChallenge Mexico.