Learning for Better Life Choices in Brazil
November 2021
Employee volunteers from HP’s Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre sites in Brazil are using HP LIFE to bring hope for a better future to girls in the Brazilian juvenile detention system.
Employee volunteers at HP’s Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre sites began collaborating with Instituto Mundo Aflora in March. The charity’s work centers on providing girls in Brazil’s juvenile detention system with programs to improve their emotional wellbeing and equip them with the skills they need to make better life choices when they return to their communities.
After a successful first project, the HP volunteer team extended its relationship with the charity, creating a new volunteer project to support the HP Foundation’s 40 Days of Doing Good campaign.
“Technology impacts virtually every aspect of our life today so it’s important for everyone to have the digital skills they need to participate in society equally,” said Elaine Bandeira, HP employee volunteer and project lead. “This was the driver behind our new collaboration.”
The 40 Days of Doing Good project was developed with the support of the detention center’s pedagogical team and focused on teaching and mentoring with HP LIFE, emotional intelligence, sustainability, and diversity and inclusion. Seven HP LIFE courses, including Success Mindset, 3D Printing, and Social Entrepreneurship, were carefully selected to provide the girls with a mix of up-to-date business knowledge and digital literacy skills.
HP LIFE is a free IT and business skills-training program from the HP Foundation. It is accessible online, offline, and in person (where safe) offering more than 30 courses in eight languages for entrepreneurs, business owners, and lifelong learners all over the world. It is also an adaptable educational resource used on the ground by trainers, educators, and mentors.
Thirty-six employee volunteers from HP’s Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre sites delivered the HP LIFE courses and additional content to 168 girls in 23 one-hour virtual sessions, providing context, sharing examples, and answering the girls’ questions in real time.
“Working with these girls is a gift. They are bright, intelligent, and curious. I never felt as if I was working inside the juvenile detention system. I was very humbled by their energy and willingness to participate. They deserve a bright future and I am so proud to play a part in helping them achieve that,” said Elaine.
Following the success of the project, Elaine and the volunteer team continue to work with the girls while exploring the possibility of developing a similar project to support boys in the juvenile detention system.
Inspiring Stories Showing the Impact of Our Global Program
Roger Blair, Professor III Entrepreneurship
View success story“Incorporating HP LIFE into our upper-level entrepreneurship course has enabled us to offer our students access to a high-quality open-access learning resource, supporting our goal to find long-term solutions to textbook affordability.”
Danayit Zegeye, YMCA Ethiopia
View success story“The knowledge I have gained from taking HP LIFE courses will allow me to make disciplined decisions and invest in my business.”
Cameron Early, Student, YMCA Scotland
View success story“As someone without previous knowledge of running an enterprise, I found the HP LIFE courses engaging. The interactive content and videos made it fun to learn.”
Argiris Tzikopoulos, CEO, JA Greece
View success story“We are glad for our global collaboration with HP. Our organizations share a common passion for enhancing students’ soft skills and empowering them. As JA Greece, we are proud that we are building on expanding this partnership to reach more students through HP LIFE courses.”
Shanthi Kanthaswamy, executive director, JA Malaysia
View success story“Teachers are pivotal to education and to the impact it has on students who are our hope and future leaders. JA Malaysia is truly grateful for the empathy shown by HP Malaysia to the challenges these heroes of education are facing at the moment.”
Andrea Mendes, executive director, Mundo Aflora
View success story“The HP volunteer team helped increase the self-esteem of these young women who are forgotten by a large part of society.”
HP LIFE graduate, Costa Rica
View success story“The course exceeded my expectations in terms of content, tools, application, and the most valuable thing, which is the human factor, because behind it all there is a whole team full of commitment, dedication and professionalism. HP LIFE truly transforms lives.”
Ndinda Catherine Leech, YALI participant
View success story“I encourage everyone to take advantage of any opportunity to learn new skills, especially if it’s free. Improving your knowledge will take you a long way.”
Jalel Echaybi
View success storyI particularly liked the HP LIFE marketing courses. I use these every day in the planning and growth of my business.
Sondess Amara
View success storyHP LIFE training has been crucial for me. Through the HP LIFE program, I was given mentoring to complete my business plan, learned how to advertise my business and even how to do my accounts from one year to the next.
Tunisian entrepreneurs
View success storyFive Tunisian entrepreneurs hone their entrepreneurship skills through the Mashrou3i program and learn cooperation is the best way to grow a successful business.
Anis Assali
View success storyI learned how to use Microsoft Excel to determine the break-even point of my business and how to analyze my expenses which has enabled me to better estimate my real costs. HP LIFE helped me in virtually every aspect of my business.
Charity Selorm
View success storyI learnt so many new skills through HP LIFE. Like how to use the business model canvas tool to develop and refine a business idea, how to determine the break-even point, how to price my services properly, and how to identify my target market.
Barbara Millard from Johnson County Community College, US
View success storyHP LIFE was just what I was looking for to add new life to my teaching. I can use the modules as basic course content, or as a refresher. Each module stands alone and can be mixed and matched according to individual class needs.