Maria Gonzalez

Colombian educator revolutionizing rural education through mobile schools

Maria Gonzalez is the founder of Escuelas Móviles, a Colombian initiative that operates 300+ mobile classrooms serving 15,000+ children in remote regions. Launched in 2019, the project gained momentum during the 2020 pandemic when 70% of Colombia's rural schools were closed. Her innovative buses equipped with solar-powered classrooms and Wi-Fi hotspots now travel to 250+ communities weekly.

The program's 2022 expansion included vocational training modules for teenagers, adding workshops in agriculture, mechanics, and digital literacy. In partnership with UNICEF, they developed the 'Future Skills' curriculum used in 8 Latin American countries. By 2024, 65% of program graduates had entered formal education or apprenticeships compared to 28% in control groups.

Gonzalez's 2023 book 《Moving Classrooms》 details her methodology. Her TED Talk "How We Brought School to the Mountains" has 4.2 million views. She recently partnered with Tesla to install solar charging stations at mobile classroom hubs, creating the world's first fully sustainable mobile education network.