The young man is now employed by the Institute and says that helping others is the main lesson learned.
At the end of 2022, Samuel Silva was finishing his second semester of Computer Science college. But the course wasn’t what he had imagined. Lost, he got to know Ramacrisna thanks to a friend and decided to take the Computer Operator course. From there, he found a new purpose for his future.
Today, he works at the Institute and reflects on how doing good changed his trajectory.
In college, Samuel had good grades. But it wasn’t enough to make him happy. “I wasn’t happy and willing to dedicate four years of my life to a science that I wasn’t sure was right for me,” he recalls. In the first few days of class, he tried to drop out, he was so confused. But he changed his mind.
In addition to college, since finishing high school, Samuel worked as a supermarket stocker. He earned minimum wage to work full-time Monday to Saturday and part-time on Sundays. This work schedule reduced study time and focus on personal development.
This made him question even more. “The work hours were so long and exhausting that it made it difficult to look for another job or course,” he explains. Samuel left the supermarket in early 2023 and decided it was time to focus exclusively on his studies. During this time, he developed skills in creating computer programs, websites, mini-games, databases, and English.
While in his third semester of Computer Science, he decided to take an external course to fulfill a required number of hours for college. Additionally, he wanted to learn about computer maintenance and internet networks, areas where he struggled.
Samuel noticed a classmate who always wore Ramacrisna’s uniform. Upon researching, he discovered that the Institute offered free qualification courses with good infrastructure and tools. He also found out that Ramacrisna made a significant contribution to the local community, which inspired and motivated him to seek out the Institution.
This was what he needed to enroll in the Computer Operator course. Classes began in May 2023. But unlike college, at Ramacrisna, he felt secure. “I worried more about studying for the course than for college, not because it was harder, but because my interest in the Institute’s subjects was much stronger,” he says. His performance was so good that instructor César Mendes suggested he start an internship at the Institute itself.
In October 2023, a month after completing the course, he became an intern for the Adolescent Apprentice project. In practice, he developed teaching materials and exercises for students on hardware and software, Office suite, internet, and cybersecurity. “Teaching wasn’t something I had officially done before, but Ramacrisna trusted me and it changed my life for the better,” he reveals.
Three months after becoming an intern, Samuel was hired full-time. For him, the achievement was due to the advice and guidance of coworkers, especially Janara Gomes and César. “Institute Ramacrisna inspires the best parts of my personality, stimulates my creativity, and challenges me to develop new skills,” he says gratefully.
“Working at Ramacrisna is a great pleasure; I believe what we do is very important in people’s lives, and I feel blessed to be a part of it,” he states.
Like Samuel, over two million people have had their lives transformed by Instituto Ramacrisna. The organization has been operating for over six decades in Betim and other cities in Greater Belo Horizonte, with projects in education, culture, and professionalization.
Join our chain of good deeds. Contact us and learn more.
