In 2020, due to the changes in the project of revalidation of diplomas, because of the new coronavirus pandemic there was an increase in the number of universities that Compassiva came to be in contact with, since we started processes of revalidation of diplomas in 17 new universities, summing up to about 34 universities that we keep relationship with all around Brazil.
In 2019, we had planned many different trips to carry out a big joint effort of revalidation of diplomas in some Brazilian cities, and many other trips to start new processes and collect granted diplomas. However, due to the pandemic, those trips had to be cancelled and the universities indefinitely made a halt in their face-to-face service.
Fortunately, some universities carried on conducting revalidation of diplomas and, although it was no longer possible to travel, to start the processes directly at the universities that we were already used to work with we still had platform Carolina Bori, from MEC (Ministry of Education) as an alternative to start those processes online. We adjusted the way we started our processes, but with that, the costs also changed since to start a new process directly at the university the average cost is R$ 500,00 (five hundred reais), whilst to do it through platform Carolina Bori the average cost is R$ 1.500,00 (one thousand five hundred reais).
With the pandemic the grantings also became slower, as many universities suspended the whole process of analysing the requests of revalidation that were subject to evaluation, since it was conducted by a committee of teachers that was no longer meeting because of the pandemic. So, in order to prevent this period with no analysis, Compassiva contacted many universities and asked them to speed up the processes – which they complied with, resulting in one of the best scores of granted diplomas per year (in spite of the pandemic).
The free portuguese classes, offered by Compassiva through our LAR (“Taking Help to Refugees”) program, also came to be online and had a great attendance, for which we could count on UNHCR´s financial help towards mobile internet for some of our students, so that they wouldn’t miss any class for the lack of internet access.
2020 taught us even more about the importance of the timing to respond to the needs presented to us by those who we assist and about being flexible. With the change from face-to-face procedures to online ones, none of our services stopped, and nobody who is assisted by us was hindered. It is vital for us to be mindful of the needs presented to us by those whom we assist, even if it’s not any assignment or service we are used to providing.
Another valuable lesson from 2020 was investing more on online procedures, as we were able to reach a higher number of people to assist, including in other Brazilian states that didn’t have any assistance, as well as starting processes in new universities and, finally, providing training to many partners in different cities and states.
The project of revalidation of diplomas had not been prepared for a pandemic – in fact, the whole world hadn’t imagined such change. Nevertheless, when the pandemic hit and the lockdown was imposed, Compassiva was reorganized and reinvented to prevent its projects from halting. Throughout the year, we could:
– make face-to-face classes to be online classes;
– provide to our students the payment for internet service so that they could participate on online classes;
– start processes of revalidation of diplomas on platform Carolina Bori (100% digital);
– provide online assistance on the project of revalidation of diplomas;
– intervene in the universities so that they wouldn’t stop the processes of revalidation of diplomas and would act with more promptness;
– start the distribution of basic food baskets, hygiene kits and hand sanitizers on a monthly basis to hundreds of families;
– pay the transport fares so that those people could come and collect their basic food baskets;
– make project “Employability” (labor insertion program) to be 100% online, providing help to make resumés, mentoring, giving talks etc;
– create an internal policy of data protection to prevent inappropriate behaviour;
Throughout last year, we realized that, in our efforts of assistance, it was important to provide a brief online training course and qualification to our local partners who supported us, so that they could answer basic and recurring questions regarding the project of revalidation of diplomas. So, we developed a course with training contents, and we presented to Compassiva´s many partners, such as Missão Paz, Serviço jesuíta a migrantes e refugiados, Caritas Rio de Janeiro, amongst other throughout the national territory.
We also continue developing a textbook about revalidation of diplomas containing all instructions, step by step, to revalidate a diploma directly at the university or through platform Carolina Bori, from MEC.
Every year we participate in Sergio Vieira de Mello´s chair seminar, and in 2020 it wasn’t different. This time we tried to get some leverage with the universities so they would grant further facilitation in the process of revalidation of diplomas for refugees and venezuelans.
“Supporting them [refugees] with the revalidation of their diplomas is not only about giving them a document back. It’s about recovering part of their history, their journey as a human being and everything they learned and built in their lives for years.” says André Leitão, Compassiva’s executive-president.
Certainly, 2020 was a difficult year, and its challenges lasted through 2021. However, we reached the end of the year with hope. Hope, because even amidst the chaos, we were surprised by having been able to carry on with our project of revalidation: with new processes and granted diplomas. Portuguese classes continued to happen and the virtual classroom could take in more refugees and refuge applicants. Moreover, we could act on an emergency basis by delivering basic food baskets, hygiene kits and hand sanitizers to refugee families, immigrants and also brazilian families in a vulnerable situation.
We want to thank our partner UNHCR: together, over these 5 years, we could contribute positively in the lives of hundreds of people living as refugees in Brazilian territory. We also want to thank you for following us, sharing and publishing our work and giving your financial resources so that hope may continue to meet so many people, through projects that Compassiva offers for free. Thank you so much!
Read part 1 of this story here
Read part 2 of this story here
