Recently, two of Community in Action’s volunteers were awarded scholarships for university study. Davidson Souza, who previously worked as a volunteer for Community in Action teaching computer courses, was accepted into a university preparation study program. With the scholarship money, Davidson was able to begin his classes in late January. If he passes the exam (similar to the SAT), he’ll be able to study at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro free of charge, one of Brazil’s most prestigious universities. Davidson will be focusing on the law exam, as he would like to become a lawyer that eventually gives back to the community where he came from. We chose Davidson as a scholarship recipient because of both his academic work and dedication to the community at-large; his character, his perseverance and his optimism have proven to benefit all around him.
The second scholarship recipient is Jonatha Ferreira, who was recently admitted to UNISUAM, a local university, after passing the “Vestibular”, (also similar to the SAT). The scholarship money helped with administrative costs and entrance fees for Jonatha to begin classes. Mr. Ferreira is also a volunteer at Community in Action, where he currently teaches two computer courses, in addition to his new responsibilities as a university student. He is studying Physical Education, to become a private trainer and professional Capoeira instructor (which he is already certified). Jonatha also aims to confront community health problems found in the favelas, attempting to find remedies to malnutrition and other health-related situations.
We are all very proud of these two young individuals and are excited to be a part of these long-term educational ventures.