The Associação Academia do Johnson Semedo supports education for vulnerable children in Portugal

The direct beneficiaries of this project are 207 children between the ages of 6 and 18 from families living in poverty and social exclusion in the town of Alfragide, in Amadora. 

The main problems faced by the city’s inhabitants are precarious employment, unemployment, limited academic and professional qualifications, criminality, dependence on social support, alcoholism and drug addiction. Under these circumstances, failure to succeed in their studies, a lack of discipline and underperformance are common among children, which in many cases leads to them dropping out of school. In fact, only 77% of students complete the 1st cycle in 4 years (Portugal’s national average is 88%). In addition, these vulnerable youngsters have difficulty accessing medical care, including mental health care. 

The project uses education as a tool for transforming the lives of these children. To achieve this, the Associação Academia do Johnson Semedo works in five main areas: educational support; extracurricular activities; psychological support; a tutoring program; and parental involvement and empowerment. 

The purpose of these actions is to improve the children’s school performance, increase their well-being, promote the development of positive values and behavior, and prevent high-risk behavior.