GUSTAVO LOMBELLO
BRAZIL, 18
He/Him
Project: Minerve-se
Until high school, Gustavo attended a public school with extremely poor conditions and substandard academic materials. He went through a rigorous yearlong selection process to achieve a full scholarship to an elite private school in the Vale do Paraíba, a privileged area of São Paulo. Gustavo grappled with the contrast between the experience at his previous school, and the opportunities and resources suddenly afforded to him at private school. In May 2020, Gustavo founded Minerve-se to democratize education in Brazil and give underserved communities an opportunity to overcome the social barriers to success. Minerve-se provides the free delivery of books and educational materials to low-income students in Brazil, prioritizing marginalized communities. Minerve-se serves 80+ cities across 15+ states in all five regions of Brazil and will soon expand into Argentina. Their library presently consists of 10,000+ free books that have been shipped to 500+ Brazilians, reaching communities from favelas to indigenous tribes, and Minerve-se has spread awareness about educational inequalities to 4,000+ followers via social media. In October 2021, Minerve-se was selected to participate in the MOVE_MT Acceleration Program, and in the summer of 2021, received two awards from the Peace First Challenge. Gustavo views Minerve-se as a revolution, providing knowledge to people who otherwise would not have the opportunity. He is inspired by the many stories from people who used Minerve-se’s materials to pass a course, complete an undergraduate thesis or even teach a child to read. As he expands, he hopes to continue spreading the power of knowledge.