The young man, who grew up at the Institute, now returns to Ramacrisna to help boys transform their lives

Ramacrisna has always been there, close to Elton Henrique dos Santos. He lived in a house on the outskirts of the Institute. But it was at the age of 9 that he had his first direct contact with one of the projects of the civil society organization. 

Since then, there have been several activities at Ramacrisna. Now, 20 years later, Elton writes a new page in his history with the Institute, helping boys who, like him two decades ago, need an interdisciplinary training for their integral development.

Learn more below.

Treading your way 

Growing up in the vicinity of Ramacrisna, Elton was 9 years old when he was enrolled in the Institute’s projects. After school, he took part in football, computer and handicraft classes. In addition, the student was a great visitor to the Professor Arlindo Corrêa da Silva Library, where he carried out his school activities. 

When he was 15, Elton decided to kickstart his professional journey. So, he joined the Youth of the Future, a preparatory course for teenagers who want to become a Teen Apprentice.

There, he learned important concepts to start his journey towards the job market. Elton learned public speaking, techniques for a good job interview and customer service, for example.  

“The course provided me with many experiences and learning. It prepares young people to enter the job market, giving them the opportunity to improve their quality of life, improve their skills and develop responsibility”, points out Elton. 

In addition, Youth of the Future analyzes the profile of each student, indicating the ideal apprentice for each company. This is how Elton participated in the selection process at the Unimed hospital in Betim, being approved as an apprentice. 

Living in the job market helped Elton fulfill an old dream: to study physiotherapy. The choice of profession happened in childhood. “As a child, I had a lot of contact with the hospital area, which influenced me to choose this career”, he says.

At the end of high school, Elton took the entrance exam and, on the first attempt, was approved at college, where he graduated. Now, as a physiotherapist, he has set up his own business and runs a pilates gym.

Elton points out that, throughout this trajectory, Ramacrisna played a fundamental role. “Today, I have a feeling of gratitude for everything that the Institute has given me, both as a person and as a professional. I see the influence that Ramacrisna has in the city and I always recommend it to young people so that they can experience what it has to offer. I also see institute employees in my clinic,” he says.

helping others

In addition to his work as a physiotherapist, Elton is also a volunteer at the Escolinha do Marimbá Futebol Clube (Small school of Marimba Football Club) that trains at the Ramacrisna Institute, where the whole story began. In the project, he helps boys to find passion for sport and grow with new perspectives.

“I believe that keeping my values, working seriously and putting love into what I do is worth more than words. So, showing young people that it’s worth the effort, studying and dedicating yourself is what I want to pass on. I came from a humble family where the dream of graduating was very distant. But, with the encouragement that Ramacrisna gave me, this dream was possible. Today I am a physiotherapist and I hope that many young people manage to achieve their goals and dreams”, he believes.

And the desire to help others does not stop there. Elton dreams of assisting, on a voluntary basis, people in socially vulnerable situations who cannot afford physical therapy.

Do your part

Just like Elton, Ramacrisna has already transformed the lives of almost 2 million people in socially vulnerable situations in its six decades of history. But to continue our work, we need your support.

To help, you can share this article, hire an apprentice for your company or make your donation. Collaborate.