Pedro Arão has been with A Little Gesture for 9 years, when he joined UPG Portugal sponsoring Programme at S. Vicente de Paulo School, in Chokwé. In 2017, aged 20, after completing the 12^th grade and leaving the Sponsoring Programme, Pedro applied for a University Scholarship to attend the Human Resources Management Degree in Chokwé. In parallel, Pedro decided to join A Little Gesture, as a volunteer, as a monitor in our After-School Support Programme. It was a way of giving back and to become a role model for the youngsters!

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In August 2021, Pedro concluded his degree, submitting his final thesis and achieving an excellent grade of 15 (out of 20). Pedro really treasured all the moments of this experience, and he confided in us “…looking back I see that I came a long way and I’m almost there, I just need to maintain my focus and determination.”

In 2022, we invited Pedro to accept the challenge of becoming a UPG Sponsoring Programme technician at São Vicente de Paulo, under Jaime’s coordination. It is a huge responsibility, but Pedro is more than up for the task. Amongst his many assignments Pedro, will get to know the sponsored children better and will visit their families, becoming the intermediary to carry messages and tenderness from the Sponsors!