A student from a deprived neighbourhood in Brazil is learning English in London before starting university studies in the US thanks to corporate donations and a crowd funding campaign.
Jaleska Mendes, a 20-year-old student from Porto Alegre in Brazil, was sponsored by Egali Intercambio study travel agency, Wimbledon School of English and a Kickante campaign to travel to the UK to begin her study journey.
Egali Intercambio donated flights and accommodation to Mendes while Wimbledon School of English put forward a free three-month course worth over £3,000.
“We will make sure she has plenty of opportunities to play tennis and we know she’ll be able to teach us a thing or two”
The Kickante campaign, organised by WimBelemDon, an initiative which supports vulnerable young people through tennis, ESL, and educational workshops, raised R$11,000 (US$3,163), to pay for living expenses while Mendes is in London.
Without the donations, Mendes would have never been able to leave Brazil said WSE.
“It is a real honour to be a part of this project and Wimbledon School of English really is the perfect choice for Jaleska,” said Kieran Hayde, Sales and Marketing Manager at WSE.
“We are experts in preparing students for going on to university in English speaking countries and we are 100% committed to helping Jaleska reach her goals. We will also make sure she has plenty of opportunities to play tennis and we know she’ll be able to teach us a thing or two.”
An avid tennis player, Mendes said she is thrilled to be studying English in Wimbledon. “My first impressions of the UK are incredible, I just love it. I can’t believe I am in Wimbledon and the school is fantastic, it’s so different to Brazil.”
For over a decade, Mendes has been involved with the Egali Intercambio sponsored WimBelemDon initiative in Port Alegre.
Since 2000, the organisation, has been using tennis to promote social inclusion of hundreds of children at social risk aged six to 18.
