How Afesu Transforms Career Paths for Female Students
Sonia de Almeida, executive director of Afesu, shares stories of students who moved abroad and others who became volunteers.
Sonia de Almeida shares real-world examples of Afesu's impact on the lives of vulnerable students and their families. Key highlights include alumni working abroad, internal hires, and graduates returning as volunteers.
In a conversation with Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast, Sonia de Almeida, executive director of Afesu, discussed the direct impact of the organization's educational programs on the lives of female students and their families. The episode also explores other topics related to non-profit management and purpose, highlighting concrete cases of professional placement and social mobility driven by technical and human skills training.
In the video above, Almeida explains how technical development unlocks opportunities in the corporate world. Among practical examples, the executive cited the journey of Adriana, a student from a vulnerable background who joined a partner company and ended up working abroad: "She was heading to the United States after going through our program. The company hired her—it was actually one of our partner companies that supports us—and she developed her career, and today she's at one of their US branches; that was about two years ago."
Talent retention and volunteering
Beyond placements at partner companies, the educational impact is reflected within the organization itself. According to Almeida, the non-profit prioritizes hiring alumni internally for its operational team: "We retain talent; today we have three students who are employees at Afesu." The relationship with the project also continues through volunteer work by graduates who choose to support incoming classes.
"We have stories of girls who graduate, develop their careers, and come back to contribute. We have three alumni who volunteer at Afesu because they felt a duty to give back to the students," Almeida emphasizes. The impact of the training also reaches family members, inspiring parents to resume their own studies after seeing their daughters' academic journeys.
Donating time and social engagement
Almeida explains that the transformation driven by social projects relies on the active participation of volunteers and professionals willing to share their life experiences and practical knowledge with current students.
"Afesu has individuals who give of themselves, and I'm not talking about donating money—I'm talking about donating their time, donating their personal brand," Almeida points out. During the conversation, Bruno notes that these actions reinforce the market's positive role in social initiatives, highlighting the presence of sector leaders such as Diego Panzini of Instituto Alcoa in debates on social transformation.