The desire to contribute to the lives of young Brazilians drives social initiatives that offer free English classes; these projects rely on dedication, volunteer work, and donor support.
For some time now, fluency in English has been a skill that makes a real difference, both professionally and personally. However, access to English learning remains limited to a small portion of the Brazilian population.
In Brazil, only 5% of the population can communicate in English, and just 1% is fluent, according to research by the British Council. Faced with this significant opportunity gap, various social organizations are striving to meet the growing demand among young people.
“When we teach English, we are helping to reduce inequality in some way. It opens doors, both in terms of access to education and income, like getting a job or a promotion that wouldn’t be possible without English,” says Ludmilla Fregonesi, director of Cidadão Pró-Mundo.
Cidadão Pró-Mundo
Cidadão Pró-Mundo is a NGO organization with nearly 30 years of experience. What began modestly, with a small group of volunteers teaching English in a church hall in Capão Redondo, São Paulo, has now expanded to several locations, including Tatuapé, Jabaquara, Vila Sônia, Diadema, Mauá, Campinas, and Rio de Janeiro.
“These volunteers noticed there was strong interest among Capão residents in learning English, so they started teaching in people’s homes, then in the church hall, and eventually partnered with a local school. After a few years of informal work, they became a formal association and began to grow,” recalls the director.
With 2,500 students each semester, in both in-person and virtual classes, the free English instruction is made possible thanks to a partnership with Cambridge University, which provides the learning materials. The organization also relies on a team of 1,300 volunteers, partnerships with schools and social organizations, and donations from supporters.
A global language
Cidadão Pró-Mundo’s long-standing work highlights the importance of providing free access to English education for those who cannot afford language courses. English has been the global standard for communication for decades and is likely to remain so due to technology and increasing hyperconnectivity.
“Many students at CPM don’t believe they’re truly capable of speaking English. So part of our work is also about empowerment, showing them that it’s possible. We bring in guest speakers or former students who have had international experiences to talk to them. This opens up their horizons and inspires them to dream of other worlds,” says Ludmilla.
Voluntary English classes
In Mogi das Cruzes (São Paulo), the initiative of a young woman from a low-income background is helping other young people travel abroad for the first time to gain fluency in English.
Ariane Noronha attended public schools her whole life and used to believe that studying abroad was out of reach. But then she discovered the Au Pair system, where students exchange room and board for work.
At age 23, Ariane traveled to the United States and spent a year and a half working as a nanny for three children in the home where she was hosted. The entire experience was arranged through a specialized exchange agency, which ensures that housing and work arrangements are handled safely.
A few years after returning to Brazil, she founded the social organization Soul Bilíngue, which offers scholarships for English immersion abroad to young people aged 18 to 29 from across the country. “She came back with the desire for more people to live this kind of experience,” says Will Almeida, Soul Bilíngue’s Director of Operations.
Soul Bilíngue
The English scholarships offered by Soul Bilíngue cover accommodation expenses and a four-week immersion course in an English-speaking country. Since its founding in 2018, Soul Bilíngue has already sent 68 young people to countries such as the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, and Dubai.
And another 23 are expected to travel by the end of the year. “Here, we’re not just teaching English, we’re talking about worldview and life perspective,” says Soul Bilíngue’s Director of Operations.
The organization operates through corporate volunteering, recurring donors, and partnerships with Cambridge University, EF English First, Good Hope Studies, and English Path.
A transformative initiative
To be eligible for the scholarships, students must complete a 22 week (one semester) online English program. As part of the program, they take part in a gamified system.
“Since we have more students than available scholarships, we created this game where everything earns points, class attendance, participation in mentoring sessions, test scores, and so on. These points form a ranking, and the top eight students receive the scholarships,” explains Will.
To cover travel expenses, the NGO encourages students to raise money within their own communities, from family, friends, and people they interact with daily.
“We teach young people how to communicate with purpose so they can pursue this dream, and it really works. When a low-income youth transforms their life, they transform everything around them, they become a role model. It’s rare to find someone from the outskirts of any Brazilian city who’s spent a month in England. That’s truly life-changing,” he concludes.
Stay tuned for applications
Cidadão Pró-Mundo opens applications twice a year, through its website, in May and November. To join the program, some requirements must be met: students must be between 11 and 25 years old and must have attended public school or be full scholarship recipients at private schools.
At the end of the five-year course, students graduate with an intermediate level of English, equivalent to B2 on the internationally recognized language proficiency scale.
At Soul Bilíngue, students pay a social fee of R$30 to apply. Eligibility criteria include having completed all of high school in the public education system and having a per capita family income of up to two minimum wages.
The next classes start on July 21. This year, there will be 500 spots available and 10 scholarships for international exchange programs.
Both Cidadão Pró-Mundo and Soul Bilíngue promote enrollment primarily through social media. Classes generally take place on weekends, usually on Saturday mornings.
Support this cause!
Learn more on the websites of Cidadão Pró-Mundo and Soul Bilíngue, and follow their social media profiles on Instagram: @cidadaopromundo and @soulbilingue.
