McDonald’s will be holding its Big Day on 20th October at all its restaurants in Colombia, a day of solidarity that seeks to raise funds to support youth employment and keep families with children undergoing medical treatments for highly complex diseases together.

The proceeds made in the country from the sales of Big Macs on the Big Day will go to the Institute of St. Paul Apostle (ISPA), which offers free top-level education and work experience for young people from vulnerable communities in Bogota. Currently, ISPA is catering for 1,000 students in Bogota and has been classified as one of the best schools in the country based on the academic success of its alumni and the training it offers in the skills that will enable them to find jobs when they finish school.

Colombia is fully aware of the growing phenomenon of youth unemployment, which is three times higher than adult unemployment. Fewer than half (48.5%) of students who finish their studies at public and private schools in the country go on to university, resulting in many young people without alternatives since they are unable to find jobs because they do not have the experience that businesses require.