Australian Social Entrepreneur Launches Technology Training Initiative In Medellín Despite Being Robbed & Shot The Night Before

Dr. Nat Ware (above right), a native of Australia and resident of New York, was walking to his hotel in the El Poblado area of Medellín the night of February 22 when he was approached by an assailant who robbed him of his watch and wallet before shooting him with a rubber bullet that punctured his chest and lodged in his ribcage.

Police took him to the hospital where he was treated for non-lethal wounds, but the next day, a bandaged Ware was present at Ruta N on the city’s north side to celebrate the opening of his technology initiative called Forte Global.

Forte Global is collaborating with Medellín’s Ruta N business incubator to train young adults between the ages of 18 and 28 from the city’s two lowest socioeconomic strata in information technology with the goal of the participants being employable after the training, that lasts between four and nine months, as information technology professionals. Forte hopes that at least 50% of participants are young women, who are underrepresented in information technology and other STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields.

To participate, applicants must:

1. Be a resident of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area.
2. Be over 18 years old, completed before June 30, 2022.
3. Received less than $39.5 million in annual income in 2021 (roughly $10,000 USD) and paid no income taxes that year.
4. Not have previously worked in a position or company in the field of technology.
5. Not currently taking a formal or non-formal study in technology.
6. Have access to email, computer and the internet.
7. Be available 40 hours per week for full-time training and 20 hours per week for part-time training.

Applicants only have until March 31 to apply, and training begins in April, and may apply here.

Ware was undaunted by the attack. “This illustrates what is happening in the world, it is a reality that we have, people are looking for desperate measures to get out of poverty. I don’t blame them, there are other ways to get out of these difficult times and I think one of them is generating training and opportunities,” he said.

“We will train talent so that they can grow and improve their productivity and, ultimately, turn Medellín into the Silicon Valley of Latin America. Medellín has a lot of potential and its inhabitants do too. This pilot will help both young people and the city.”