Technology with purpose: a young man supporting his mother’s business and shaping his life project through SENATIC and the ILO
At just 17 years of age, Rafael Alfonso Meza Guerra discovered in technology a way to reconnect with his past, support his mother, and build a future filled with purpose thanks to his training under the SENATIC project an alliance between the Ministry of ICT, SENA, and the ILO.
24 April 2025
BOGOTÁ (ILO news) - Born in 2007 in Barranquilla, Rafael Alfonso spent the first 14 years of his life with his father, never having met his mother in person. However, this absence led to a powerful decision: at age 14, he moved to the municipality of Maicao, in La Guajira, a department in Colombia’s Caribbean region, with a firm resolve to reunite with her and discover his roots. It was there that his life took a transformative turn.
Upon arriving in Maicao, Rafael not only met his mother, but also two siblings who welcomed him with affection. He decided to stay and start a new chapter of his life. Today, at 17, he attends the public school Rosa María Parodi, and through the SENATIC project he has found a powerful tool to transform his present.
Thanks to the Digital Content Creation course, Rafael not only strengthened his existing knowledge of technology but also discovered how to apply it to a deeply personal purpose: supporting his mother’s entrepreneurial venture. For years, she has dedicated herself to producing and selling frozen snacks under her own brand: ROSY MAR.
“I learnt how to turn knowledge into support for the person I love most — my mum,” Rafael proudly says. Today, he is in charge of designing flyers, creating the business’s visual identity, and promoting the products digitally, which has significantly increased their customer base beyond mere word-of-mouth. “Before, she only sold through WhatsApp now people know the brand, and that makes me happy.”
But his vision goes further. Rafael dreams of studying Business Administration once he finishes school. He is confident that his passion for marketing and his digital skills will take him further. His goal is clear: to create his own company and continue supporting those he loves.
In a municipality like Maicao, where employment opportunities are limited, Rafael wants to inspire other young people with his story. “I want to show that dreams do come true if you have the courage to fight for them,” he affirms.
Grateful for the SENATIC project and its partners the Ministry of ICT, SENA, and the ILO Rafael wholeheartedly recommends this training to any young person who, like him, wants to shape their own future.
His story is a shining example of how technology, when combined with family love and the right opportunities, can open up unexpected and deeply inspiring paths.
