ConnectEd Impact in Brazil “I want, I can, I achieve, I deserve” | Alcatel-Lucent Foundation | Alcatel-Lucent

ConnectEd Impact in Brazil - “I want, I can, I achieve, Ideserve”

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November 26th, 2013

Author: Alexandra Birladianu, Communication and Employee Engagement Coordinator,

Alcatel-Lucent Foundation

I believe education should be the basis of every society and my work with the Alcatel-

Lucent Foundation reinforces this every single day. On the 11th and 18th of November,

together with Gabriela Cano of Alcatel-Lucent Brazil, I had the opportunity to visit

ConnectEd Brazil in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and, once more, I felt the impact our work

has where it is needed the most: youth education.

In Brazil, ConnectEd partnered with Instituto Aliança com o Adolescente to reach youth in

Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Here, ConnectEd works with young people from low-income

families, who are between the ages of 16-24, and are enrolled in or graduated from formal

secondary schools. It was wonderful meeting and observing them during training hours,

talking with them about their dreams and beliefs and about the impact the program has in

their daily lives. I was moved to tears by their life stories and above all, by their optimism

and life approach.

Under ConnectEd, dreams like being a teacher, an IT specialist, a pediatrician, a veterinarian,

joining the army or being a drummer in a rock band are a step closer to becoming reality, as

besides the skills and knowledge the program gives the participants, it’s the confidence

they have what it takes to fulfill their dreams that helps them the most.

With sparkly eyes and bright smiles the youth in the Cafú and Barueri centers talked about

their life projects, the steps they are taking to improve themselves, and the skills they

acquired during the program that now make their dreams possible. At Cafú, I was most

impressed by the computer game Lucas designed to showcase his career plan, by the video

Sabrina made in just 4 days to show us how she images her future and last but not least, by

the short film about their community, documenting lives, professions, happy and sad

moments. One of the challenges the program had, as part of the Community Stage, was

“showcasing life in their neighborhood” and the documentary was the result. The aim was

to make the students aware of successful people that followed public school education, as

most of them feel that the public school system in Brazil does not necessarily equip them

with what they need to have successful careers. By going inside and talking with various

member of the community, they learned that they can do more and their personal approach

towards life and career is as important as the education they have access to. ConnectEd is a

program where the entire community participates because the students want their

involvement.

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During the work stage they felt that the most

important learning was on the significance of team

work. While being shy at the beginning, they

learned to share their ideas out loud, to plan for

their future, to be focused and have confidence in

their skills. They learned to listen to each other

and the importance of respect.

We then talked about the most difficult moment

from them, during ConnectEd. They all agreed that

it happened in the Identity stage of the program,

when they had to bring an object that represented

themselves and open up about their past

difficulties. These are young people coming from

low-income families and when they joined the

program their confidence in the results of the

program was lacking. It took time for them to open

up to their peers and professors, to gain trust in

the program and lastly in themselves. Now, 5

months later, they feel empowered, part of a

special community and equipped with what they

need to be successful.

In the afternoon we met the students in the

Carioca center. I felt the same wonderful energy

and hope as in the 3 previous centers. Here we

talked about their News Show and blog, about the

digital skills they acquired during the program,

their dreams of careers in marketing, fashion,

joining the army, civil engineering and going to

veterinary school. The difference ConnectEd made

in their life, to quote one student: “before it was

what happens, happens. Now I plan for my future

and I have the confidence that though it will be

hard, I can make it happen!” While in different

cities and centers, with different people, the

participants shined.

What I love most about ConnectEd is the fact that

the program gives the participants hope for their

future. “Eu quero, Eu posso, Eu consigo, Eu mereço

- I want, I can, I achieve, I deserve” – there could

not be a more appropriate motto in Brazil for the

program that, among important skills for joining

the workforce, it teaches hope and confidence and

the belief that even if life is hard, you can succeed,

you can fulfill your dreams. “ I would like to thank

ConnectEd Program for believing in my dreams”

As our visit in São Paulo was approaching it’s end, one of the students, Camila, told us that

“ConnectEd is not just preparation for the world of work, but for our entire lives” and 51

voices raised to say the exact same thing. “We are always gonna be bigger than our

ambitions, so we can achieve them for sure.” I left them being inspired! By them, with their

progress, by their professors Ingrid and Lucilly and by Instituto Aliança. To say that

ConnectEd’s work in the area is a great success will be an understatement.

In Rio de Janeiro I met with the wonderful youth and trainers from the Com.Domínio Digital

Carioca and Campinho centers. While the program is very similar with the centers in São

Paulo, following the five standard stages: Identity, Integration, Communication, Work, and

Ethics and Civic Education, there is a small difference in approach and content, with the

purpose to tailor the program for the area the youth are coming from.

In the Campinho Center we discussed mostly about the learning the youth gained in the

Work Stage of ConnectEd. As part of the program they had to start a company, develop a

product and a marketing campaign, starting with a budget of 50 R$/22 USD. They had to

create everything from scratch, and we had a lot of fun tasting “empadas” with cheese and

chicken, delicious “brigadeiros”, chocolates, donuts and cupcakes, which were the products

of choice for 5 of the 6 teams. They considered everything, from logos and radio

commercials for their products, to the financial planning that helped them all have profit at

the end. They told us how people knocked at their doors to ask for their product because it

was that good, and how empowered they felt towards the end, when they realized their

success.


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are words that will stay with me.

ConnectEd Brazil reminded me an important lesson

as well, even though I only spend 2 days with the

program: There should be no end in contributing

and promoting education. Lack of access to good

education hampers the growth of a nation, country,

generation, effectively our future. By supporting

education, we are investing in our future! I am

proud to work for a company that does the best it

can to support education and digital inclusion in

the communities we are present in and I am proud

to be part of ConnectEd.

A few important facts about ConnectEd:

The Alcatel-Lucent Foundation has partnered with

World Education Inc. to implement ConnectEd, the

global signature program of the Foundation.

ConnectEd is designed to address factors limiting

the work and life options of disadvantaged youth,

with an emphasis on girls and women. The

program currently operates in Australia, Brazil,

China, India, and Indonesia.

In total, over the duration of the program,

ConnectEd has reached 17,866 youth, of whom

61% have been girls. In Year 3, ConnectEd overall

has reached 10,258 youth, 64% girls. In Brazil,

since the program started, we reached 637 boys

and 1,155 girls, with a total of 1,792 youth.

Photographer Marcela Beltrão

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