This Friday, the 26th, the second lesson of the semester of the project “Portuguese without borders” will take place. The Portuguese language course for migrants started in April and is organized by the Municipality of Juiz de Fora (PJF). The course class consists of 27 migrants from countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina and Panama.
Classes are held at the Teacher Training Center under the guidance of the Spanish teacher at the SRH School of Public Administration, Adriana Benoni. “Portuguese lessons have become a space for learning and sharing, but above all a space for motivation, rebuilding self-esteem and hope for new job opportunities and integration into society,” says the teacher, who produces his own material for students and has become a welcome reference for the whole class.
Combining stories of lives interrupted by migration, loss of home and job, encounters and disagreements, the course concludes with a mixture of nostalgia for countries of origin, relatives and friends left behind, and, at the same time, gratitude. for the reception received in the city from programs proposed by the Committee.
“Some stories attract a lot of attention, such as the story of three families who managed to gather in the municipality and who today attend Portuguese classes, gradually arranging the lives of adults, children and youth. A doctor who became a saleswoman until he received money to practice his profession in Brazil. And the story of a Panamanian student who came to Juiz de Fora to complete her master’s degree in physical therapy and saw the classes as an opportunity to improve her relationships with fellow graduates and faculty,” says principal Marina. Neves, emphasizing that “although many are still unable to access documents proving their school education due to the financial costs of gaining access to diplomas and school transcripts in their countries of origin or even proof of their profession, thanks in words every person is palpable.”
The Portuguese Language Without Borders program was launched by PJF in March 2022 when registration was held. The target audience of the project are migrants in vulnerable situations, and the goal is free education in the Portuguese language. This action is a partnership between Human Resources (SRH), Human Rights (SEDH), Education (SE) and the Committee for the Development and Monitoring of the Municipal Policy Plan for Migrants, Refugees, Stateless Persons and Returnees.
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