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FA.VELA
Preparing underprivileged youth from Belo Horizonte's favelas to navigate strategically in the digital economy. Through training, mentoring and exchange, privileged and underprivileged work together to model and manage resilient businesses.
-19.902766779951, -43.96405015
OUTPUT
Over 1,200 hours of mentoring, classes and psychological support have been already delivered through FA.VELA Escola Digital.
OUTCOME
Many participants led a company before engaging in the programme. After participating, 100% of them concluded feeling more qualified and apt to lead their businesses.
HIGHLIGHT
Escola Digital boosts participants’ digital skillset. 100% of the entrepreneurs state applying improved communication and marketing strategies compared to before the programme.
Wealth inequality in Brazil has colour, gender, age and territory
Our Commitment
The Julius Baer Foundation and FA.VELA are joining forces on establishing the Escola Digital to:
- promote the inclusive digital transformation of underprivileged youth in Belo Horizonte.
- develop entrepreneurial literacy among marginalised entrepreneurs, students and professionals through on- and offline lectures, workshops, benchmarking visits, creative labs, and mentorship.
- involve professionals from privileged communities to serve as trainers, mentors and partners in career development.
FA.VELA is a civil society organisation that serves as an education and learning hub. It was founded in 2015 by João and Tatiana Souza, both favela natives themselves. Their programmes promote entrepreneurialism, diversity and innovation to grant underprivileged youth in the favelas a chance for socio-economic development.
The program has helped 2300 people grow 300+ enterprises in 25 municipalities in the Brazilian states of Minas, Gerais, Espírito Santo and Para.
In 2019, while 67% of the 549 applicants to the FA.VELA entrepreneurship program were already leading a microbusiness, only 20% had the training to do so.
COVID-19 has worsened the marginalisation of entrepreneurs dwelling in favelas as their business‘s digital presence has become imperative for success.
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With the support of the Julius Baer Foundation FA.VELA launched Escola Digital, which will benefit 780 people and upskill and support over 240 underprivileged entrepreneurs per year by 2023.
The word FA.VELA means Fundo de Aceleração para o Desenvolvimento Vela or Vela Fund for Accelerated Development. Vela is the Portuguese for Sail: just as the sail harnesses the wind to propel a boat, FA.VELA helps people harness skills, knowledge, and networks to propel themselves out of poverty.
From excluded and untrained...
Around 70% of the project’s applicants already perform as entrepreneurs, but less than 20% have regular access to computer and internet services, specialised education, support network or financial investments.
… to equipped and connected.
Vulnerable youth suffering from social stigma and lacking financial resources gain access to innovative digital education and collaborations with established professionals.
Become a Changemaker
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Are you an entrepreneur based in Brazil and want to offer your skills and time by being a mentor in the Escola Digital? Or are you a student or a researcher whose work focuses on wealth inequality topics and are interested in potential collaboration?
