Good Education for 3,000 Brazilian Kids post Covid

— Samira, what does the Project mean to you?
Ah… it means so much. It’s more than just a job to me. The Project is part of my story, part of who I am. I joined when I was 14 years old — it was my first professional opportunity, and it changed my perspective on many things. It was where I learned how to communicate, to work as a team, to understand the impact we can have on someone else’s life.
It was within this Project that I discovered I had a voice. That I could make a difference. It opened doors for me. Everything that came later in my professional life was linked to what I experienced here. In 2022, I returned as project leader. Now I’m the one guiding teenagers through their journey of growth and discovery… it’s very symbolic for me to be on both sides of the story.

— And what’s it like when you get the opportunity to present the Project to other organisations?
It’s always a very special moment. I feel truly honoured. Because talking about the Project is talking about what shaped me. When an external organisation shows interest, it feels like they’re recognising: “what you’re doing here has value, it has power.”
I speak with emotion because I know it’s real. I’ve lived it. And today I see every day just how much the Project transforms the lives of the children and teenagers it serves. Seeing that being recognised by other organisations is beautiful. It gives me hope. It shows me that what we do here can go further, can become an inspiration, can grow.

— And how do you feel when these organisations want to learn more or even replicate it?
I feel overjoyed. Because it’s not just a technical presentation, it’s not just “explaining a project.” It’s sharing a living story. It’s showing that, with a lot of dedication and care, we can create a space of belonging, transformation, and affection.
It’s an exchange. I bring our experience, and at the same time I come back even more motivated, knowing that what we do here has an impact beyond our walls. That people are watching, learning, and feeling inspired.

— And does being a project leader today change how you see things?
Absolutely. Today I see the Project from a different, broader perspective. And that only reinforces how essential it is. Every teenager who comes in — shy, insecure — and then transforms, starts speaking confidently, takes a stand, shines… reminds me of the 14-year-old Samira. And that moves me, because I know what lies ahead. And I know it’s beautiful.
Being here today, able to guide others through that process, is an immense joy. And knowing that other organisations want to learn about this work… wow, it’s the confirmation that we’re doing something that truly matters and makes an impact.

This text was done by Samira, interviewing herself after having presented the project  in an exchange with a large organisation from another state in Brazil which wants to start working in schools and was inspired to do so by the work Samira and her teenagers do.