What we do
Education
We support programs that advance women out of poverty and lack of knowledge—such as Soymas Chile —through vocational training, entrepreneurship pathways, and biopsychosocial support.
Research
We study the systemic issues that keep women in poverty—lack of financial literacy, women’s health, barriers to career equality, and more—so we can build solutions that change the future.
Education
Education Flagship Program – Fundación Soymas Chile:
Through U.S. fundraising, Soymas Foundation enables Soymas Chile to empower adolescent mothers to break cycles of poverty and build lives of dignity. Our flagship program delivers:
Education & Vocational Training
Equipping young mothers with the skills to build independent futures.
Biopsychosocial Support
Providing mental health, childcare, and community resources that enable women to continue their education.
Entrepreneurship Pathways
Helping women launch businesses, secure jobs, and create sustainable income.
Our Impact
Since 2007, Soymas Chile’s programs have transformed lives and communities across Chile.
Research
Project Spotlight: Education & Employability Research
Understanding Dropout and Success Pathways among Young Mothers
Soymás Foundation is developing a future research collaboration with leading academic partners to better understand what drives persistence, success, and long-term employability among young mothers living in vulnerable contexts. This proposed study builds on Soymás’ deep programmatic experience and longitudinal data to generate evidence that can strengthen programs, inform policy, and scale impact.
The Challenge
Young mothers from vulnerable backgrounds face significantly higher dropout rates in education and workforce training programs, as well as limited access to stable, formal employment. While many initiatives focus on enrollment and completion, far less is known about why participants disengage—and even less about what enables some women to succeed and sustain employment over time.
Without this understanding, programs risk addressing symptoms rather than root causes.
Our Approach
Pending partnership and funding, Soymás proposes a mixed-methods research study that combines longitudinal data analysis with lived experience insights. Drawing on more than eight years of program data, the study would examine educational trajectories, psychosocial factors, attendance patterns, and employment outcomes to identify predictive indicators of both dropout and success.
A qualitative component would complement the data, incorporating interviews with women who disengaged and those who achieved sustained employment, ensuring findings are grounded in real-world context.
Why It Matters
Dropping out of education or training is rarely a single decision—it is often the result of compounding pressures related to mental health, caregiving, economic stress, and lack of support. At the same time, success stories are powerful but under-studied.
By shifting the lens from “why women fail” to “what enables resilience and success,” this research has the potential to transform how programs, employers, and policymakers support young mothers—breaking cycles of poverty and exclusion across generations.
Our Impact
If launched, this research would generate actionable insights to:
- Improve early identification of dropout risk
- Strengthen program design and support structures
- Inform evidence-based employability models for young mothers
- Contribute to policy discussions on education, labor, and gender equity
- Findings would be shared through academic publications, practitioner tools, and policy briefs, ensuring both rigor and real-world application.
Proposed / In Development
This research initiative is currently in the concept and partnership development stage. Future implementation is contingent on funding and institutional collaboration.