Help kids from favelas in Rio get college / university education

Why do we exist?

In Brazil, all students have to go through exams in the end of high-school to be accepted into universities and colleges around the country (ENEM). The students with highest scores have access to public institutions or to scholarships/financing for private institutions.

The bad quality of public schools in Brazil puts students from low income communities in disadvantage compared to students with access to private education. Additionally, students from low income communities usually start early in low paying jobs and most stay in those jobs due to lack of support to pursue a higher education.

The Pre-Vestibular Comuntário Marielle Franco aims to give students from low income communities the support they need to find their way to higher education and better qualified jobs, breaking their eternal low paying jobs cycle. We do that by providing them free classes with ENEM’s theoretical programme, vocacional and social guidance, cultural visits and group discussions about comtemporary issues.

Who are we?

Our Pre-Vestibular Comunitário was initiated by a group of friends from a religious community that, in the past 9 years, has developed several projects focused on educational, cultural and humanitary development of people from poor communities around downtown Rio de Janeiro.

In 2018, we started the Instituto Caminhantes, with the objective to develop more and better projects of social impact. The Pre-Vestibular Marielle Franco is a result of Instituto Caminhantes’ structured approach combined with the experience we acquired working in the communities in the past years.

We now offer free preparation course for ENEM and other university exams, helping students from the community around Rio’s downtown (“Morro da Providencia”), and from other communities but that work in the area, to find their way to higher education.

Our methodologies and actions seek an education focused on critical thinking and active citizenship. Our values are the democracy, the support to human rights and the secularity of the State (Brazil).

Problems we help the students with

• Difficult access to university or college by the low income population
• Youth lacking critical thinking about comtemporary issues in the world
• Low educational level and perpetual cycle of low income jobs
• Limited offer of free educational and social help for low income students so they can have access to universities and colleges, particularly in the region we operate

How we help them

• Theoretical classes and tutoring for all subjects of ENEM
• Evening classes from monday to friday and morning classes on saturdays
• 17 voluntary teachers, most with Masters or PhD
• 16 voluntary collaborators on the administrative, pedagogic and cultural coordenation
• Vocational guidance and social service
• Group discussions and visits to cultural facilities
• 60 available places (240 applicants)