Students imagine new futures through storytelling
Gilson Penha
Gilson teaches in a low-income neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, where students face the daily impacts of urban violence and poverty. As a coordinator in a public school focused on active technology projects, Gilson seeks innovative ways to engage students. In a collaboration with Turi, a teacher in Kenya, students co-developed cross-cultural projects, including a storybook featuring “The Mbo Warrior,” a narrative started by Kenyan students and expanded by Brazilian students. These exchanges helped students feel proud of their contributions and see themselves as protagonists in meaningful stories. For many, the experience broadened their sense of identity, and community.
Listen to Gilson
“I really believe that education can change the social context within our neighborhood, within our community.”
Gilson Penha
Gilson Penha
Gilson Penha is a dynamic public secondary school teacher in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, celebrated for his innovative, tech-forward approach to education and his deep commitment to inclusive, student-centred learning. He graduated from the same public education system he now serves. Gilson returned to the classroom to help transform it from the inside. His personal journey fuels his passion for using education as a tool for equity and empowerment.
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Gilson Penha