I’m Jo and I’m a mentor at Teach for Portugal, a member of the international network Teach for All. Teach for Portugal trains mentors to support teachers in the classroom and to lead activities that address the developmental needs of students. Our goal is to ensure that no child is left behind during their educational journey, maximizing their potential from academic performance to emotional management.
Between the first and second year of the Teach for Portugal program, we are challenged to undertake a summer internship with an organization. This experience allows us to explore and gain insights into an area of interest that aligns with our career goals.
When this opportunity was presented to me, I immediately thought of doing an internship with the CURE Foundation.
I deeply admire the Foundation’s daily work and the dedication that goes into it.
My main goal with the internship is to gain tools to help women empower themselves and, consequently, their communities. I also want to address issues related to gender-based violence in the context of war. With this in mind, CURE would be the best choice!
This month of July with CURE changed my life because it changed my view of the world and it renewed my hope for a better future. My expectations for this month were already very high, but it’s turning out even better!
I learned a lot from the fantastic people who work at CURE. Through their many projects, I gained a greater awareness of the experiences of women in the Balkans, their challenges and achievements, and, in particular, the women in Bosnia. The effort of CURE to be involved in various fronts of civil society to change mindsets and achieve goals to ensure full rights for everyone is notable
On my part, I translated content from the Foundation into Portuguese, shared dynamics and activities we conducted in Portuguese schools about gender equality and the LGBTQIA+ community and I accompanied CURE in their commitments in Bihać and Srebrenica, for the International Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide.
In these places, I met extraordinary people who are the true heroes of this life. I will never forget the generous shares of people who are true survivors, of people who strive to ensure that the past does not repeat itself and that the present is a more pleasant place.
The knowledge I gained from these experiences comes with great responsibility. I want others to know what happened and what I heard and saw. Education is one of the keys to this. As soon as I return to Portugal, I will want to share these stories with my students, stories that need to be shared and never forgotten.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is, unfortunately, a very unknown country to the Portuguese, but it is very special and, in my opinion, it is the most interesting in Europe! It is a country of resilient people with a strong personality. It is a place where cultures meet and where peaceful coexistence among religions occurs.
It is a country of many layers and a unique history.
Portugal has so much to learn from Bosnia!
It’s where logic ends, isn’t it?
Hvala!
Obrigada!
