Lucas Joaquín Galván is 20 years old and he met Fundación Vicente Lucci (FVL) at the school where he attended secondary school.
“The work performed by Fundación Vicente Lucci inspired me from the very first day. I enjoyed the activities and dynamics of each visit, so, when I finished secondary school, I didn’t hesitate to join as a volunteer. It is an enriching experience that allowed me to identify opportunities to grow,” said Lucas, who is currently studying Agricultural Engineering at the National University of Tucumán.
As part of the Educating in Values program, Lucas ran a workshop at Mariano Ramos Agro-technical School, where he addressed the topic of emotional intelligence. The aim of this workshop was to encourage reflection on the conflicts that arise in the classroom and transform them into opportunities for change and growth, working on empathy and communication.
“During the activity, the fifth graders were asked to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a classmate. It was exciting to see how, despite their differences and conflicts, they found more virtues than they imagined. The activity not only served to bring them back together, but also allowed them to appreciate the positive side in each other,” Lucas recounted.
Multiplying the help
Lucas works in a supermarket, practices volleyball, plays the guitar and participates in his religious community. Nevertheless, he spends part of his time volunteering because of his vocation for service.
One of the aspects he values most about his volunteer experience is the work environment and the values present in the interaction between people. “I felt part of the team from the very first day. Ideas and proposals were always welcome. It is a space where one feels valued and where every effort comes back multiplied,” he added.
“In Las Cejas, where there are fewer than 20,000 inhabitants, many young people do not have the opportunity to study and do not know about the impact that a foundation such as Fundación Vicente Lucci can have. I feel fortunate to have found these opportunities and I want to share them with others,” he said.
Inspiring new generations
For Alejandra Oviedo, Head of Fundación Vicente Lucci, Lucas’s story not only reflects the impact of FVL, but also the power of education as a driver of change. “It motivates us to continue contributing to education so that new generations can choose and develop their path with determination. In Lucas, we see an example of effort and conviction in the value of studies as a tool to reach his goals. His account as a volunteer encourages us to continue with Fundación Vicente Lucci’s mission in northwestern Argentina, which started 21 years ago,” she said.
Competences for the development of young people for the labour market
Soldado Cajal, the agro-technical school Lucas attended, is one of the public educational institutions in Tucumán that benefits from Fundación Vicente Lucci’s proposals.
Bruno Grasso, a teacher at that school, valued, for example, that, thanks to initiatives such as the Internship Program, it is possible to teach students theory into practice: “These experiences connect students with the local productive reality and allow them to project themselves into the future with solid tools for their development.”
Fernanda Sierra, one of the beneficiary students of the Internship Program, also attends Soldado Cajal School, and she has been assigned to tutor Exequiel Briones, who has an Undergraduate Degree in Animal Production and is Head of the Eastern Sector of Agroganadera del NOA.
“We want the kids to have an overview of the activity and see the work they could do in the future. We show them all the stages of cattle breeding and rearing in a farm such as Rancho Grande, which has a 6,000-head feedlot. We are a company that innovates, grows and considers the local link with families and different social actors to be of great importance. It is a source of pride and a very important responsibility as a company to make students meet the productive reality, which is next to their schools, and to help them discover their vocation,” said Briones.