The strength of Hercules in the classroom: the ILO and the legacy of Giovanny Suárez Iglesias in Santa Marta
Just like Hercules, who in Greco Roman mythology combined physical strength with nobility of spirit, Giovanny Alfonzo Suárez Iglesias stands out for his imposing presence and for the impact he leaves on those around him. Standing 1.94 metres tall and weighing 128 kilos, this instructor of the SENATIC, project driven by the ILO, the Ministry of ICT and SENA has become a trusted reference point and guide for young people from the El Carmen and Liceo del Sur Víctor de Lima schools in Santa Marta.
Born in Santa Marta in 1984, son of a mother from the country’s interior and a Guajiro father who passed away three years ago Giovanny grew up between the burning coastal breeze and the discipline instilled at home. His father, Edgar Suárez, a celebrated basketball player in Magdalena, passed on not only a passion for sport but also the value of education. That legacy lives on: his four siblings are all professionals, two of them engineers, and all found in education the path to open themselves to the world.
He studied Electronic Engineering at the University of Magdalenaspecialised in project engineering and trained as an auditor in quality management systems. His professional career is broad: he has worked in the palm oil agro-industry, as a teacher, as an assessor of occupational skills, and as a project manager. Today, that experience serves as an example for his students, to whom he insists: “I was once a student too, and if I could progress academically, so can you.”
In the classrooms of Pescaítoone of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods of Santa Marta, Giovanny commands respect the moment he walks through the door. Young people, struck by his physical presence, nickname him with coastal humour “Papiriki” or joke: “Profe, you hit hard.”Yet their treatment of him is almost ceremonial: they call him “engineer” or “professor”, fully aware that they are in front of someone who combines authority with approachability.
He knows he works with teenagers who have lived through violence and other social challenges. For this reason, he draws a clear line: he is their teacher, not their domino partner. At the same time, he supports them in what matters most to them: dance, football, theatre, commemorative days. “When they see me at their activities and say ‘profe, you came’, I feel that they know they matter and that fills me with satisfaction,”he says
Within the framework of the SENATIC projectGiovanny has become both a guide and a promoter of a pedagogical tool that opens new doors. As an instructor in the Teleinformatics Systems course, he reminds his students that today they are acquiring knowledge that tomorrow can become a professional career.
For many, technology was once a distant word; with him, it has turned into a tangible opportunity.
His style blends rigour with empathy. “The relationship with the students is fundamental,”he explains. And it is precisely this balance between seriousness and support that makes every class a transformative experience.
A giant with caribbean roots
Born in Santa Marta in 1984, son of a mother from the country’s interior and a Guajiro father who passed away three years ago Giovanny grew up between the burning coastal breeze and the discipline instilled at home. His father, Edgar Suárez, a celebrated basketball player in Magdalena, passed on not only a passion for sport but also the value of education. That legacy lives on: his four siblings are all professionals, two of them engineers, and all found in education the path to open themselves to the world.
He studied Electronic Engineering at the University of Magdalenaspecialised in project engineering and trained as an auditor in quality management systems. His professional career is broad: he has worked in the palm oil agro-industry, as a teacher, as an assessor of occupational skills, and as a project manager. Today, that experience serves as an example for his students, to whom he insists: “I was once a student too, and if I could progress academically, so can you.”
The “papiriki” of pescaíto
In the classrooms of Pescaítoone of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods of Santa Marta, Giovanny commands respect the moment he walks through the door. Young people, struck by his physical presence, nickname him with coastal humour “Papiriki” or joke: “Profe, you hit hard.”Yet their treatment of him is almost ceremonial: they call him “engineer” or “professor”, fully aware that they are in front of someone who combines authority with approachability.
He knows he works with teenagers who have lived through violence and other social challenges. For this reason, he draws a clear line: he is their teacher, not their domino partner. At the same time, he supports them in what matters most to them: dance, football, theatre, commemorative days. “When they see me at their activities and say ‘profe, you came’, I feel that they know they matter and that fills me with satisfaction,”he says
Senatic as a seed of learning
Within the framework of the SENATIC projectGiovanny has become both a guide and a promoter of a pedagogical tool that opens new doors. As an instructor in the Teleinformatics Systems course, he reminds his students that today they are acquiring knowledge that tomorrow can become a professional career.
For many, technology was once a distant word; with him, it has turned into a tangible opportunity.
His style blends rigour with empathy. “The relationship with the students is fundamental,”he explains. And it is precisely this balance between seriousness and support that makes every class a transformative experience.
Strength inherited, purpose alive
At 41, Giovanny keeps both body and mind active. He plays basketball, Following in his father’s footsteps, and practises mixed martial arts, convinced that after 40 it is essential to remain active. Although today he is a “dog dad”, he dreams of having children and passing on the same values he received: a love of learning, respect and sport.
Like the great Hercules of Thebes, Giovanny Suárez Iglesias carries on his shoulders not only an imposing figure but also the inner strength of a purpose: to accompany the young people of Santa Marta on their journey towards a better future. In every class, in every conversation and in every gesture of support, this SENATIC and ILO instructor demonstrates that true greatness lies not in height, but in the greatness of ideals.
Giovanny Suárez Iglesias is one of more than 800 instructors who, in 2025, continue to be part of line 1 of the SENATIC project, a nationwide partnership between the Ministry of ICT, SENA and the ILO, aimed at young people enrolled in technical secondary education.
