Cases|Children|Pedagogical support|Producer Antenados
Thanks to the Ramacrisna project, Cledemar became a journalist
When it comes to social transformation, educational projects play an essential role in shaping children and young people. At the Ramacrisna Institute, this mission is realized every day. And in a very special way: the projects offer a complete education that goes beyond traditional content and embraces human development.
Cledemar Duarte, who has seen the power of Ramacrisna’s educational projects up close, has had his life transformed by these initiatives. This story begins 25 years ago, when he was just 9 years old.
After hearing so much from his friends, he joined the Ramacrisna Educational Support Center (CAER), one of the Institute’s projects. “Many of my friends were already studying there. They spoke very highly of it and that motivated me to sign up too,” he recalled. Little did he know that this was the first step on a journey that unites education, culture and communication.
When he joined CAER, Cledemar was immersed in a universe of opportunities. Computer, handicraft, sports and music workshops, for example, were part of the routine during the school day. One of these experiences, the Ramacrisna Choir, marked his childhood. This was because, as well as developing talents, the experience allowed him to learn fundamental values such as discipline, empathy and teamwork.
As a teenager, Cledemar decided to venture out and signed up for a new project at the Institute. He was now part of the Antenados Project – which would later become Antenados Produtora. With a focus on audiovisual, the experience awakened a hitherto dormant passion: communication.
“It was there that I discovered journalism. I learned how to operate cameras, conduct interviews, write scripts… I found myself in this field,” she says. The passion hit hard and Cledemar soon mastered audiovisual techniques. He soon became an instructor and then took over the coordination of the production company for four years. But he wanted more. Cledemar had the opportunity to become a journalist, combining the experience he already had with the new knowledge he had acquired at university.
Today, Cledemar works as a journalist for the newspaper O Tempo Betim, a well-known newspaper in Greater Belo Horizonte. Even with his new career path, he maintains a strong connection with the Ramacrisna Institute. “I have a lot of affection for the institution. Whenever I can, I write articles about the projects and follow closely what is being done,” he says.
Proud and grateful to have been part of Ramacrisna’s history, he believes that the Institute should continue its work, as it represents an opportunity for thousands of people. “I trained there as a person and as a professional. It was more than a place to study, it was a place to live,” he said.
Now he plans to continue growing in journalism and, who knows, return to the Institute to contribute once again to the educational projects that have transformed it.
Cledemar’s story is one of many that prove how social initiatives aimed at education have real power to change. When educational projects are thought out with care, commitment and affection, they plant seeds that flourish for a lifetime.
The Ramacrisna Institute offers educational projects for people of all ages, completely free of charge. Over more than six decades of work, more than 2 million people have had their lives transformed by at least one of our projects. Help us continue this chain of good.
Get in touch and find out how you can help.
