Scarlet graduated from our youth employment programme in Sao Paulo in 2011. She trained at the Grand Hyatt São Paulo, where she has continued to work and progress over the last 10 years.

Scarlet was living with her family in the favela do Comando in the Morumbi area of São Paulo when they received an eviction order from the local government due to the construction works for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The low compensation paid to the families and the high levels of land speculation uprooted many people, and in some cases severed family ties because locals were forced to seek housing on the outskirts of the city at a great distance from most job opportunities, which tend to be concentrated downtown and in other commercial areas.

At the time Scarlet learned of our youth employment programme in the community newspaper, she was working as a telemarketing operator to support her family, as both her parents were unemployed and her sister was in primary school. She did not like the job and she felt that there were no opportunities to develop a career.

Scarlet had always dreamed of building a successful career in hospitality but most further education courses in Brazil tend to be quite expensive. Through this programme, Scarlet had the opportunity to discover new skills. She particularly loved the life skills workshops on motivation, career planning, strategy and professional success.

“I learned that I have to be more outgoing, deal with my shyness, and face my fears as an adult. My transition from teenager to adult occurred during this programme.”

During the training, Scarlet received a lot of support from her ‘godmother’, Keila Souza (a former graduate who is now coordinating the programme at the Grand Hyatt), the HR Director of the Grand Hyatt São Paulo and all the other hotel staff. This support was essential in supporting her to develop her self-confidence.

Scarlet says, “this programme gave me the opportunity I needed, a chance to show who I am and what I can do. This is the most valuable aspect of the programme, the opportunities that it can provide to young people. I am extremely grateful for being given the chance to achieve my career goals.”

“This programme gave me the opportunity I needed, a chance to show who I am and what I can do. This is the most valuable aspect of the programme, the opportunities that it can provide to young people. I am extremely grateful for being given the chance to achieve my career goals.”

Scarlet graduated from our youth employment programme in Sao Paulo in 2011. One month after completing the programme at the Grand Hyatt Sao Paulo, Scarlett was offered a job as a Banquet server. In less than a year after her graduation, Scarlet had been promoted twice and had started college to get her degree in Business Management.

3 years later, Scarlet was able to invest in a short exchange programme in Canada to further her hospitality education and then accepted a position as hostess in the Grand Hyatt Dubai.

“She inspired many other people at the Grand Hyatt São Paulo also to look for international career opportunities and above all to believe in their potential,” comments Keila Souza.

During her two years in Dubai, Scarlet was promoted to F&B Supervisor, role which she now holds back home in the hotel where she was trained. Scarlet hopes to progress in hospitality and inspire other people like her to transform their lives. She also dreams of helping her family get out of the favela someday.