Enoque, Gasodá, Wrariwe and Arildo Suruí are students of São Lucas College

Cacoal/RO - The number of Indians that tries to enter in a university in Cacoal increases every year. Now there are ten young of several etnias of the town, studying at universities of the cities of Cacoal, Pimenta Bueno, Porto Velho and in Curitiba, in Paraná. A much larger number than that, however, wants to continue their studies, but they faces several barriers, mainly the financial one.

According to the boss of the section of education of the National Foundation of the Indian (Funai), in Cacoal, Ana Néri, usually the own natives that are concluding the high school shows interest in entering in the higher education. She highlighted that the youths/* parents also seek the education section to their children to continue studying; however they dash in the lack of resources to maintain them in the universities.

Ana explained that now only six academics are benefitted with integral scholarship, being four by São Lucas College, of Porto Velho and two by the University Of Biomedical Sciences Of Cacoal (Facimed). In Pimenta Bueno/*s University (FAP) there is an academic with a 50% scholarship and in Integrated Universities of Cacoal (Unesc) two that bear all the expenses of the course. "We also have a student studying in the Federal University of Paraná", she informed.

Ana also informed that Funai offers to some students a small cost help, but the benefit only contemplates the ones that began the course up to 2007. She explained that there was a cut in the budget of Funai for the education and that this is hindering to maintain the ones that have already been studying and to offer new opportunities to the ones that want to enter in the university. “For us of Funai, to maintain an academic studying is a pride, because they are many the difficulties faced to get that", she said.

As for Ana, some institutions, for example Facimed, offer an integral scholarship for the entrance college exam. Everyone that is interested does the test and the best placed gets the vacancy. She also highlighted that among the benefits conquered for the natives it is the rate exemption for the vestibular exam of the Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR). “Any Indian that participated in the vestibular exam 2008 were exempted of the rate", she said.

Recognition and protection

The academic of the 7th period of the course of Tourism of the College São Lucas, Gasodá Suruí, is one of the persistence examples looking for his dream of the Graduation. His principal goal as a student is to conquer recognition and protection for his people. He divides a room with more three friends Suruís. Together they also divide the difficulties and the good moments of the students’ life.

According to Gasodá, the adaptation far away from the family was difficult and slow. Besides the difficulties with the Portuguese language, he came across the curiosity of the non Indians, who drove him the most several questions. Today, however, the reality is other. Gasodá has already conquered many friends in the classroom and a good interaction with the teachers. "We were very motivated by people as Ana Néri and we learned that to be a winner we have to face the difficulties", he said.

The academic affirms that decided to give continuity to the studies to look for health, education and life quality to his community. He pointed out that when concluding the courses, they can work in benefit of their families. “We are the best to understand the problems of our people ", he affirmed.

Gasodá also highlighted that every day he tries to top his expectations, being qualified in several courses and participating in seminars that publish the culture and the importance of the indigenous people for the Brazilian society. "I don’t want to stop studying. I will get master/*s degree and doctorate, so much in Brazil as outside ", he said.