Larger flights, reached with the help of people willing to contribute to education. Ten years ago the Program Ajudarinho was created at Univates - at that time called Fundo 40. Since then, four people have graduated from the institution with the help of the 80% discount in tuition.

 

Launched in 2009 with actions celebrating 40 years of higher education in the Taquari Valley, the project seeks to create an investment fund to benefit students with little financial condition to study. "Ajudarinho can support a small amount of people, but it makes a big difference in their lives. It has in its essence the message of solidarity, doing something simple, that is within our reach and promotes a look at the other”, says the coordinator of the program, Cristine Heineck.

 

Today, four students are benefited by the program. They are enrolled in the programs of Business Administration, Advertising and Propaganda, Nursing Technician and Human Resource Management. The aid is valid until graduation, but each semester the commission of Ajudarinho performs a reassessment to analyze if the criteria continue being attended. The grades and absences in the courses are also checked.

 

Univates Business Administration student Joana Cristina Pereira has benefited from the program since 2015. "My dream and that of my parents was that I would get a degree. When I learned that I had been selected to receive the scholarship I was very happy, because that was my opportunity”, she says. Joana's routine is agitated, since she works as an administrative assistant and studies during the week. Despite this, the effort is worth it, since the program helped her achieve an important stage in life. "I will be eternally grateful," she says.

 

To keep in mind

According to Cristine, interviews with the candidates are among the most special moments she has ever experienced in the program. "We see the spark in their eyes and how much they want this opportunity," she says.

Another moment is when the beneficiary of the program arrives at his graduation, because the feeling of gratitude becomes even more evident. "A small gesture can become meaningful and make a difference in someone's life. The phrase we use in Ajudarinho is 'giving wings so someone can fly', and it symbolizes the feeling of contributing to the realization of a dream," explains Cristine.

According to the coordinator of the program, Univates knows the difference that the study makes in people's lives and the possibilities that may arise from it.

“Ajudarinho encourages collaboration with others. Concern for the other is healthy and promotes core values. We are dealing with dreams, and being able to help in some way is a gift for those who participate, whether contributing, or being on the committee”, coordinator of Ajudarinho, Cristine Heineck

 

Want to make a difference in someone's life?

Currently, around 220 people contribute financially with Ajudarinho. Employees, trainees, graduates and community can be donors. Accessions can be made by clicking here. Other forms of donation occur through events linked to the program and also to amounts paid by companies that perform actions on the University campus. For each public there is a form of accession, and the value of the contribution is defined by the donor.

Students interested in receiving the benefit participate in a specific public announcement. After registration, the commission evaluates each candidate by criteria. The student's need index is observed so that the indication is fair, among other aspects.

To check more information about the program, contact us at ajudarinho@univates.br.