SOMAS Projetos Sociais

Mission Statement:

SOMAS is dedicated to improving social mobility by bridging the digital divide and empowering individuals for the digital world. We strive to create equal opportunities for all, regardless of their background, by providing access to technology and digital skills. Our mission is to enhance social inclusion, foster economic empowerment, and promote active participation in the digital society.

Vision Statement:

Our vision is to build a future where every individual has equal access to digital resources, enabling them to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society. We envision a world where the digital divide no longer hinders social mobility, and technology becomes a tool for empowerment and positive change.

Core Values:

Equity and Inclusion: We believe in promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, gender, or other factors. We strive to create an inclusive environment that values diversity and ensures everyone's voice is heard and respected.

Empowerment: We are committed to empowering individuals by providing them with the necessary digital skills, resources, and tools to navigate the digital world confidently. We believe that by empowering individuals, we can create a ripple effect that positively impacts their lives and communities.

Innovation: We embrace innovation and continuously explore new approaches, technologies, and solutions to address the challenges of the digital divide. We encourage creativity, adaptability, and forward-thinking to stay at the forefront of digital transformation and maximize our impact.

Collaboration: We believe in the power of collaboration and partnerships. We work closely with communities, governments, businesses, and other organizations to leverage collective expertise and resources, fostering collaboration to achieve our common goals of reducing the digital divide and promoting social mobility.

Accountability: We hold ourselves accountable for the outcomes of our actions. We conduct rigorous evaluations, measure our impact, and learn from our experiences to continuously improve our programs and interventions. We are transparent, responsible, and committed to delivering measurable and sustainable results.

Social Impact: We prioritize social impact as the driving force behind our work. Our ultimate goal is to create positive and lasting change in individuals' lives, families, and communities. We are dedicated to making a meaningful difference by addressing the structural barriers that hinder social mobility and promoting digital inclusion as a catalyst for social transformation.

Through our mission, vision, and core values, we are determined to build a more inclusive and digitally empowered society, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a better future.

Camila Achutti is the founder of SOMAS, a non-profit organization dedicated to building alternatives in the field of digital inclusion, promoting research and structural diagnoses, adapting and creating content, training teachers and young people in vulnerable situations and creating educational artifacts. Its mission is to reduce distances by approaching digital borders. Camila develops content, acts as a speaker and teacher, seeking to disseminate knowledge about education and technology. She is a visionary and engaged leader, committed to measuring and highlighting the positive impact of education and technology in the country. With her determination, Camila inspires and mobilizes people to get involved in promoting digital inclusion, seeking to overcome inequalities and transform lives through access and conscious use of technological tools. Your work at SOMAS is essential to drive the construction of a more egalitarian society prepared for the challenges of the digital world.

Committed team leader: The team leader has a clear commitment and a deep understanding of the goals and benefits of the LEAP Project. Able to articulate the importance of the project to the organization as a whole, establishing a sense of urgency and priority among team members. By demonstrating a strong commitment, it motivates and inspires support team members to engage and dedicate resources to the project.

Effective communication is key to ensuring that all team members are aligned and aware of the expectations regarding the LEAP Project. The team leader communicates goals, timelines, and required resources, as well as the implications of not meeting these requirements. By keeping everyone informed and involved, it ensures that the project remains a priority amid other competing demands.

Adequate Support and Resources: The team leader is responsible for ensuring that support team members have access to the necessary resources to carry out work on the LEAP Project. This could include providing training, tools, technologies or anything else that is crucial to the success of the project. In addition, the leader must be available to offer support and guidance whenever necessary, creating a collaborative and encouraging work environment.

Given the other priorities going on in the organization, the team leader and support team members must be able to manage their time effectively. This involves setting realistic goals, creating an achievable schedule, and prioritizing LEAP Project activities over other demands. The leader can use project management techniques, such as using agile methodologies or applying planning tools, to help ensure that the project progresses as planned.

SOMAS is an NGO that promotes social mobility, reducing the digital gap and empowering citizens for the digital world.

The problem that SOMAS addresses is the digital divide and limited social mobility. SOMAS focuses on reducing the gap in digital access and skills, empowering individuals with the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive in the digital world. By doing so, SOMAS aims to create equal opportunities for social advancement and active participation in social systems, bridging the gap between those who have access to technology and those who don't, and promoting a more inclusive and equitable society.

Our solution at SOMAS is focused on addressing the digital divide and promoting social mobility through innovative programs and initiatives. In simple terms, we aim to empower individuals with the necessary skills and access to technology, creating opportunities for them to thrive in the digital world.

Foundational research: We have conducted literature reviews and desktop research to gather relevant information and insights regarding the impact of digital inclusion programs on social mobility. This research informed our approach in implementing the Barueri project, where we focused on reducing the digital divide and promoting social mobility through access to technology and digital skills training.

1. Formative research: Our program, Código Livre, involved extensive formative research such as usability studies, feasibility studies, and user interviews. These studies allowed us to understand the needs and challenges of young individuals in juvenile detention centers and tailor the technical programming training accordingly. Through pre-post research and implementation studies, we have been able to assess the effectiveness of the program in providing technical skills and creating opportunities for employment and social reintegration.

1. Summative research: The Computador Circular project aligns with summative research as we conducted correlational studies and quasi-experimental evaluations. These studies have helped us measure the impact and outcomes of repurposing electronic waste into functional computers and distributing them in resource-limited communities. By examining the correlation between computer access and digital skills acquisition, we have been able to demonstrate the positive impact of the project in enhancing digital inclusion and expanding opportunities for social advancement.

In summary, our research efforts encompass foundational research to inform our overall approach, formative research to tailor interventions to specific contexts, and summative research to evaluate the impact of our programs. 

These research types have played a crucial role in establishing evidence of effectiveness and continuously improving our initiatives.

Our research on the Computador Circular project has revealed the significant impact of computer access on digital mobility, leading to increased economic and professional inclusion. According to a reliable source, such as the World Bank, individuals with access to computers and the internet have greater employment prospects and income-generating opportunities. In fact, studies have shown that a 10% increase in internet penetration can contribute to approximately 1.38% growth in GDP per capita. By providing functional computers through the Computador Circular initiative, we are not only narrowing the digital divide but also enabling individuals to acquire essential digital skills, participate fully in the digital economy, and improve their socio-economic well-being.

SOMAS has been actively and participatively working with affected communities to develop educational solutions. We recognize the importance of listening to and understanding the needs and challenges faced by these communities in order to design initiatives that are truly relevant and impactful.

Our approach begins with scientific research and environmental diagnostics, where we seek to identify potential accelerators of digital transformation. This analysis helps us understand the specific context in which communities are situated, as well as the existing constraints and opportunities.

Based on this systemic understanding, we establish partnerships and programs that range from creating learning objects adapted to limited resources and infrastructure to researching the social impact of educational initiatives.

Our goal goes beyond employability. We believe that empowering citizens for the digital world is essential to expand opportunities for social advancement and promote active participation in social structures.

Our approach is based on understanding the specific needs of each community, aiming to provide a positive and transformative impact.

What are the key factors that contribute to the success of SOMAS programs, such as the Free Code Program and the Circular Computer project, in reducing digital inequalities and promoting social mobility?

To identify the most effective elements and strategies used by SOMAS in its programs.

What is the long-term impact of SOMAS programs on the families and communities served, in terms of employment, social reintegration and socioeconomic ascension?

To assess the sustainable impact of SOMAS actions.

The desired outcomes of the 12-week Project LEAP sprint include user feedback on the usability of methodologies, assessing technical feasibility, integration, assessing student impact, and understanding the associations between platform use and outcomes. educational. These results will inform the development and continuous improvement of the projects, aiming to provide an effective and efficient solution to improve the students' learning experience

The solutions proposed by SOMAS, as reported in this document, are at a significant stage of development, supported by successful field experiences and positive results obtained. The organization has practically implemented each of the mentioned projects, demonstrating concrete impacts on social mobility and access to technology. It is important to note that, considering the nature of education and the complexity of impact analysis, we acknowledge that the full maturity of these analyses requires additional time and a comprehensive range of applications to gain a comprehensive understanding and promote continuous improvement of the solution.

The expectations of solutions proposed by LEAP, as reported in this document, are at a significant stage of development, supported by successful field experiences and positive results that can be obtained. The organization will be able to apply each of the projects mentioned in a practical way, showing concrete impacts on social mobility and access to technology. It is important to note that, considering the nature of education and the complexity of impact analysis, we recognize that the full maturity of these analyzes requires additional time and a wide variety of applications, in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding and promote continuous improvement of the solution.