On June 18, Vila Cuore — the education and training center of the Alliance of Mercy, located in the Taipas region, north of São Paulo — held the graduation ceremony for the Mesa Cuore, Intensive Baking and Intensive Confectionery courses. The training is the result of a partnership with the Bia Rabinovich Institute, which began in 2024.
More than a ceremony, the moment was a milestone of concrete achievements: some of the students completed the course with real opportunities to enter the job market or start small businesses.
“Some students were unable to attend the last week of classes because they were already employed. The training is not only about the job market, but also about understanding the importance of food, choosing what we eat and what we offer to others.”, highlighted chef and teacher Mônica Brancher, who has worked at Aliança since 2019 and has coordinated gastronomy courses for a year.
Individual and family transformations
The graduates’ stories reinforce the project’s social reach. Tainá da Silva, daughter of one of the students, spoke about the impact on her mother’s life. “She never had the chance to study. Now, at 54, she has started selling pasta, gnocchi, and snacks. This is thanks to the course. I am very proud.”, he stated.
Vítor César, 56 years old, found training as a path to a new beginning. “I retired and fell into a state of depression. I started cooking to help pay the bills and to keep my mind occupied. Today, I sell gingerbread, cook at home and am studying gastronomy. The course helped me understand what I wanted from my life.”
Personal development was also reflected in professional decisions. Gabriel Almeida, just 16 years old, enrolled in the course at his mother's insistence. “I was doing nothing, lost. Now I'm going to get a job. I want to work with pasta, bakeries and travel the world trying new foods.”
More than technique, human formation
In addition to practical classes, the courses included modules on human development and entrepreneurship. Luísa Brazuna, responsible for this stage, highlights: “We see students who arrive with depression and leave happy. People who knew nothing about gastronomy leave with the foundation to start a business. They reflect on their values, make friends, and this has a direct impact on their self-esteem.”
Camila Durães, project analyst at the Bia Rabinovich Institute, says that the partnership with Aliança began unexpectedly, after a post seen on social media. “It was like a 'stick from God'. Today we see that the transformation happened even before graduation. Eight students already have real opportunities. We don't just want to certify them, we want them to take control of their own lives.”
During the ceremony, Camila reinforced: “Many times, people don’t even see a door. The Alliance showed them and helped them walk through that door. That makes all the difference.”
“There is no age to dream”
Among the graduates, there were students of different ages. Marcelo, 53 years old, had already taken the gastronomy course the previous year and returned to also graduate in Baking. “It was a dream come true. I met people and learned a lot. Many people think they are already old, but they are not old enough to dream.”
Tatiana, 45, was also surprised. “I came here curious, without expectations. I thought it wasn’t real because it was free. I learned a lot, including about leadership. Now I’m starting a new work journey with a signed contract.”
Coordinators and teachers involved in the project, such as chef Mazé Félix, reinforced the role of practical and affective education. “Transmitting knowledge means showing people that they have potential. This is very valuable. Here, they access skills that they sometimes didn’t even know they had.”, said Mazé, who has been working in the field since 1998 and graduated in Buenos Aires, even before gastronomy was regulated in Brazil.
About Vila Cuore
Vila Cuore is an Education and Professional Training Center of the Alliance of Mercy located in Parque de Taipas, in the northern part of São Paulo. Its mission is to promote social transformation through comprehensive education. The space offers a welcoming environment with activities in the areas of sports, culture, school support, dressmaking, IT and gastronomy training with a model industrial kitchen.
In addition to serving young people and adults, Vila Cuore also houses a Center for Children and Adolescents (CCA), supporting people from the age of 6. The aim is to educate prepared, aware citizens who are protagonists of their own stories.
Follow more on social media: @aliancademisericordia @alianca.social @cuorealianca
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