Promoting social mobility through technology. That is the mission of Prototipando a Quebrada (PAQ), an NGO founded in 2018 that has already trained 190 young people aged 15 to 21 and currently has 80 active participants. Focused on inclusion, the initiative has been transforming lives in the Greater Florianópolis area, connecting young talents from underprivileged communities to the job market and higher education. The impact is already significant: more than 20 graduates have enrolled in university, and 40 are employed, 61% of them in the technology sector.
By leveraging educational tools, fostering connections, and providing access to innovation centers and technology hubs, the initiative helps change lives. According to PAQ’s founder, educator Jeff Lima, the organization has an ambitious goal: to impact 1 million people in the coming years and expand its reach to other regions in Brazil. “The idea is to support young talents across all states and municipalities in the country”.
PAQ, headquartered in Palhoça, SC, has developed a methodology that, according to Lima, can be replicated in other communities both horizontally and vertically. Horizontally, the NGO aims to expand to more cities in Santa Catarina over the next three years, leveraging connections within the state’s innovation ecosystem. “We’re looking at cities like Blumenau, which also has an innovation center. This would allow us to tap into existing networks”.
Vertically, PAQ seeks to establish partnerships with local NGOs. “We are in a phase of testing and prototyping. Expansion will only be possible if we overcome the geographical barrier of Greater Florianópolis. So, we are focused on identifying the best opportunities and validating these partnerships,” Lima explains.
To achieve this, he acknowledges that collaboration among NGOs alone won’t be enough to scale the project—it will also require engagement with public authorities. “Public policy is essential to scaling these initiatives. After all, investment in young people’s technological development needs to be structured and continuous. That’s why engaging with policymakers, participating in committees, and bringing these discussions to the political agenda is so important”.
Tech Education and Social Transformation
PAQ’s program lasts eight weeks and starts with an immersive learning journey, where participants are introduced to technology concepts, develop socio-emotional skills, and build a network with professionals in the field. No prior tech knowledge is required. The next cohort begins on March 10, with 30 participants: 10 at Acate (Floripa – Island), 10 at Inaitec (Pedra Branca), and 10 at Olodum Sul (Floripa – mainland).
“At this initial stage, the goal is not for students to master hard skills. They will have access to basic tools to begin their journey in the tech world,” explains Lima.
After the immersion phase, students can pursue more specialized training in areas such as programming, design, game development, and data science, through partnerships with educational institutions like Alura and Rocketseat, as well as corporate supporters such as the Santa Catarina Federation of Industries (Fiesc).
During the program, young participants receive mentorship from volunteers and facilitated access to internship and trainee opportunities. A multidisciplinary team also follows their progress, helping to create a strong sense of community. Lima believes this support is crucial. “It wouldn’t make sense to offer training and then leave students adrift without a support network. That’s where the importance of belonging to a larger community comes in. We are a learning community, an environment where knowledge is shared collaboratively, practically, and transformatively”.
Additionally, PAQ ensures that students have access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, including high-performance computers, extra monitors, and professional-grade tools used in real work environments. Lima stresses that without the right environment, learning becomes nearly impossible. “Anyone who has never lived in a favela or faced vulnerability doesn’t fully grasp what that means. You can’t teach just on paper—you have to do it in real life, with proper structure and support”.
It’s not about money, it’s about a change in perspective, the possibility of dreaming, of experiencing something different. Their mindset starts to shift, and they begin to see university as a real possibility. And this isn’t just about education, it’s about life opportunities. If it weren’t for PAQ, would these young people be on this path? Probably not.
Jeff Lima, founder of PAQ.
For young people considering a career in tech, Lima shares some advice: “Look for programs like PAQ, connect with people who are already on this path, and don’t give up. Life will challenge you, especially if you come from the periphery, if you’re Black, if you have a tough background. You’ll have to take multiple buses to get to college, juggle an internship, work hard, but the key is to connect with the right people and persevere. Life will be tough; it will demand a lot from you. But don’t let that discourage you. It will be difficult, but it is possible”.
Currently, PAQ operates five training units, located at Acate, TXM Methods, BeWiki, Escola Olodum Sul (Florianópolis), and Inaitec (Palhoça). In addition to training young professionals, the organization also trains educators who replicate the PAQ methodology, expanding the project’s reach. Since its founding, the NGO has generated around R$ 600,000 per year in the communities where it operates, strengthening the local economy.
Incubating an Idea
Creating Prototipando a Quebrada was not easy. Before founding the NGO, Lima went through a long ideation process, a journey that began when he was still in school. “I come from the periphery, and I had teachers who changed my life. Small gestures—like a teacher taking me to the library or introducing me to RPG—expanded my worldview.”
Lima shared part of this story at TEDxLages.
For eight years, Lima taught technology at a school in the Monte Serrat community in Florianópolis. “I taught robotics and digital games and saw firsthand how technology can be a tool for social transformation”. By organizing competitions and taking students to innovation centers, he realized he could change their realities.
In 2018, he was invited to participate in Startup Weekend. “I used to organize groups of teachers, secure sponsorships to take students to events—but I had no real knowledge of entrepreneurship. Startup Weekend was a wake-up call! I discovered the world of startups, MVPs, and business testing”.
After two failed business attempts, a teacher training startup and a media production company, Lima refocused on creating an institute. The turning point came when he received a robotics kit similar to the ones he used in Monte Serrat. Inspired, he decided to test his idea in another community, starting with five students. Within two months, he had 40.
In 2019, the initiative was officially named Prototipando a Quebrada. “Since we worked with technology, ‘prototyping’ fit well. And ‘quebrada’ is slang for favela or underprivileged communities in São Paulo”.