On December 19th, IPCA Day, these students received the Valor IPCA/Santander Universities Award for positively standing out in the human and charitable aspect within the academic community.
The Valor Prize rewards student participation in active citizenship and volunteering practices developed at IPCA or in the outside community, with a monetary value of 1700 euros that was divided among the three students.
These students’ projects were part of the seven candidates for the Valor IPCA/Santander Universities Award in the 2022 edition. The award was presented, in the formal session of IPCA Day, by the president of the institution, Maria José Fernandes, and by the representative of Banco Santander, Nuno Vieira. Nuno Vieira.
The award was delivered by the president of the institution, Maria José Fernandes, and by the representative of Banco Santander, Nuno Vieira, in the solemn session of IPCA Day.
Having just arrived from Brazil, Adenilson cherished the Portuguese Organization for Humanitarian Aid (POHA)
The student Adenilson Camargo, of the master’s degree in Taxation, develops regular volunteer work at the POHA Association. This social solidarity association aims to support families in a situation of social vulnerability, mostly composed of immigrants and refugees, helping them with their integration. When Adenilson arrived in Portugal, in the middle of the pandemic, he found this association that he helped to formalize with his experience, and to which he is now invited to be vice-president. “Starting over is giving yourself a new opportunity, each restart gives you the opportunity to be part of a new story”, said the student who recalled the importance of this association in his integration when he arrived in Portugal.
“When I arrived at IPCA, I heard the someone say: Make your way. I really believed in this sentence, that I am following my path, every opportunity that arises through IPCA, I make an effort and dedicate myself to participate”, said Adenilson after winning the Valor IPCA/Santander Universities Award, which made him understand that he is on the right path.
Diana founded an association in the midst of a pandemic
Student Diana Duarte of the degree in Public Management, develops periodic work as a volunteer at the Easy Future association, founded by her in the middle of the pandemic, in 2020, . Sara felt firsthand the difficulty in keeping herself informed about all the changes in school at the time. Together with 5 colleagues, they decided to found a non-profit youth association, based in Barcelos, whose main objective is to support young people in secondary school, through means and materials, so that they have the best possible academic results, helping them, as well, in choosing the course. The student, who has already volunteered in other actions, mentions that the work she develops will always have a positive return on a student’s life. “I think we should increasingly motivate each of the people who are by our side to practice volunteering and solidarity, showing them how gratifying it is to see that someone was happy or that we changed someone’s life through a small gesture that can seem insignificant for us, but for someone it may be everything”, she says.
Family case led Sara to volunteering
Sara Amado is a master student in Management of Tourist Activities and, since September of 2021, has been working as a volunteer at Refood, in Braga, which aims to end the waste of prepared food and hunger in urban neighborhoods using volunteers. Sara joins more than a thousand volunteers who are involved in this cause. “It fascinates me to know that a volunteer dedicating 2 hours a week means helping with meals for about 10 people. This kind of action is immediately reflected in the well-being of the community”, says the volunteer from Braga. Sara started volunteering in 2016 in a association that helped people in need and families diagnosed with cancer, Sara’s mother having recovered from cancer at that time.
