“This experience has awaken a wish to keep helping”

Volunteering program with colleagues teaching English virtually to teenagers from challenging social backgrounds in São Paulo, Brazil was a great success

Some months ago, the former help alliance project coordinator Mariam Meletti launched a volunteering initiative to make the best out of quarantine restrictions and short time work. Together with 15 colleagues from the Lufthansa Group, she managed to make a difference in the life of 43 teenagers. In collaboration with the school “Escola Natasha Franco Vieira” near São Paulo in Brazil, the group of volunteers started teaching English virtually for teenagers with challenging social backgrounds. Mariam knows the school very well, as she was the project coordinator of the project “Vocational training for talented chefs / Broadening Horizons” which was organized with the school as main partner and was funded by help alliance in 2018 and 2019.

When the opportunity to participate in a virtual one-on-one English course was announced at the school, the interest was very high. Mariam received 43 applications, however, only 15 of them were matched, since this was the amount of volunteers who had answered the call on a Lufthansa Group internal platform and wanted to participate. Instead of rejecting the other students, the committed group of volunteers proactively came up with an idea on how to run the extra mile and integrate the unattended demand. On top of their one-on-one classes, they started offering group classes organized by topics for the students who did not benefit from the one-on-one classes.

After approximately five months and with more than 450 hours of private time dedicated, the volunteering program has now successfully ended. With the financial support from help alliance Americas, all students received an English Grammar book, attached with personal letters from their volunteers, as an incentive to continue with their studies. For all involved the program was a great success and during the conclusion call, it became clear that 2020 might have not been a good year, but certainly, this project was one of its bright sides.

But, just let the participants themselves have their say. Below you can read and watch what the volunteers, the students and Mariam, as the initiator liked most about this great program:

“We had many emotional moments, but the most touching for me happened on the Teacher’s Day (celebrated in Brazil on 15OCT). At the end of the virtual session with my mentee student, her mother made a point in appearing on the screen, introduce herself and effusively thank me for the dedication with her daughter. In the beginning I was very timid and unsure whether I’d be able to teach English properly, but now I finish the project thankful for the opportunity to contribute. I really hope I was able to make a difference in my student’s life. This experience has awaken a wish to keep helping and for sure I’ll be interested to join future projects!”

“It was really touching for me to see the unconditional dedication of these volunteers. The care they put to prepare the weekly classes customized to the English level of the respective student, the flexibility to adapt to student’s needs and preferences, the collaboration and team spirit of the volunteers, the passion required to remain engaged for a long period – and despite of all current circumstances…”