In 2010 the policy defined in the Community Investment Plan for Latin America was maintained, with the allocation of a minimum budget of 1% of the profit for 2009 in each country in the region in which BBVA operates.
Niños adelante
The star project of this plan is the Niños adelante (Forward, children) program of scholarships for social integration, funded with €17.4m in 2010. These scholarships have contributed to the social integration of 53,140 children from underprivileged families through scholarships for primary and secondary education. More than 217,000 people have benefited indirectly through this aid.
Currently work is being done with different public and private institutions, with which more than 45 local alliances have already been forged. Among them is the 4-year (2008-2011) alliance with the Organization of Ibero-American States (OIS) to promote awareness of the importance early childhood education in the region. Employees are also contributing their skills to ensure the program has the largest possible social impact.
Adelante con tu futuro
The program Adelante con tu futuro (Forward with your Future) is a model project within the Global Financial Literacy Plan, as commented in the section on Financial literacy.
Ruta Quetzal BBVA
Since 1993 BBVA has been organizing and sponsoring Ruta Quetzal, a training program declared of cultural interest by UNESCO. Through it, 8,000 young people of 16 and 17 years of age have extended their knowledge and developed a spirit of international cooperation. The project promotes a values education that encourages effort and mutual respect, promotes equal opportunity and helps overcome inequality. The 2010 edition commemorated 25 years of trips between the Americas and Europe by traveling to Mexico. In Spain, the expedition walked along the Camino de Santiago to celebrate the Jacobean Holy Year 2010 and to commemorate the 11th century of the creation of the Kingdom of Leon.