The problem I'm addressing is the significant digital divide in Brazil's underprivileged communities, where systemic poverty, inadequate access to quality education, technology, and language skills prevent individuals from participating in the global tech economy. This gap hinders their ability to secure better-paying jobs and contribute to the tech sector, particularly in open source, which thrives on diverse, global participation.

My strategy to tackle this issue is inspired by my personal journey from poverty to a tech career through an open-source internship. I observed many talented software students in Brazil lack crucial skills for career opportunities in tech. To address this, I propose creating a program that identifies and develops these key skills, facilitating internships with global companies for these students. This initiative aims to form a supportive community to help members gain employment, thereby improving their economic situation and enhancing the open-source ecosystem by increasing its talent pool.

A vital component of this program is establishing partnerships to connect learners with international open-source internships, modeled after successful diversity-focused internship programs. The initiative will also explore sustainable funding models to support participants, potentially including financial assistance for essential resources like computers and internet access.

Over 1.5 to 2 years, the goal is to have developed a replicable framework for this program, successfully run at least two cohorts of 20 participants each, and established a mentorship network of program alumni. The program's success will be measured through participant feedback, job placement rates, and the growth of the mentorship network, with continuous adjustments and learning integrated into the approach to refine and improve the program