2019 will be a year of consolidation and new goals for this organization, which benefits 250 young Venezuelans in Caracas and 20 in Carabobo state

The Venezuelan American Friendship Association (AVAA) is a Venezuelan NGO that has reached 77 years of trajectory developing proposals for social investment in education, a time in which it has benefited young people of scarce economic resources and high academic potential through its ProExcelencia Training Program.

In 2019, this association consolidates the beginning of its new Carabobo Chapter in which it replicates the entire program in this important state of the country, thanks to the support of companies and volunteers in that area. The project is already benefiting 20 young university students from the main educational centers of the entity who are low income but with great talents and very committed to their education.

The AVAA Excellence Program (PROEXCELENCIA)

This Program promotes the education and training of young Venezuelans during their four, five, or six years of university studies. The objective, in addition to training the scholarship holder integrally, is to give them life-tools that help them to have a successful professional future. As part of the program components, they receive training workshops in extracurricular areas, a monthly economic stipend, training in the English language and accompaniment by a mentor, which gives them a seal of quality unique in the job market: AVAA excellence.

In addition to these components, the scholarship are involve in a citizen training program through volunteer activities that bring them closer to the different realities of their community and develop in them a very valuable social conscience that every professionals of the XXI century, need.

The curriculum of the program, based on the competencies of Leadership, Citizenship, Self-Management, Teamwork, and Management of Information and Communication Technologies, has been certified by major educational institutions in the country as IESA, the University of Carabobo, and soon the Experimental Pedagogical University Liberator (UPEL).

The program operates from self-financing, receiving direct donations from companies as well as individuals. At the end of their career, scholarship alumni can become employees and collaborators of the companies that sponsored them during their undergraduate studies, which means an active professional seedbed for the organizations that support this proposal. 

AVAA has more than 120 multidisciplinary volunteers who support the PROEXCELENCIA Scholar-Mentor program. This component offers students an additional accompaniment in their university path, in which they receive direct advice from professionals who represent a model of life to follow. Likewise, AVAA scholars receive a complete English language course through an important alliance established by AVAA with the Venezuelan American Centers (VAC).

During 2018, students carried out 22,180 hours of volunteer activities in external social organizations, 54 training workshops, and 100 conversation clubs in English (both face-to-face and online).

The PROEXCELENCIA scholarship study in national public and private universities in the metropolitan area of Caracas: UCV, USB, ENAHP, UCSAR, UNIMET, UNEFA, UPEL, UNEXPO, UCAB, IUT, UNE, ENAHP, Bolivarian University, among others, in the following areas: Basic Sciences; Humanities, Literature and Arts, Education Sciences, Health Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, and Social Sciences.

Adding volunteers to grow

In 2019, AVAA has set itself the goal of continuing to support 250 young people, so it seeks concrete support through annual donations to cover the training components offered to students and ensure a high level education for these valuable young Venezuelans, willing to overcome their economic limitations, and achieve their academic and professional goals successfully. These sponsorships may be individual, alliance-exchange, or corporate (this latter, ISLR deductibles).

In addition to this sponsorship, AVAA promotes various campaigns and events that support this program, which in turn links with other sectors of Venezuelan society. Among them is the Chevron Cup Friendship Golf Tournament, held for more than 35 years, being the largest non-federated tournament in Venezuela, where AVAA annually brings together golfers interested in supporting the education of valuable young Venezuelans.

The International Educational Fair (IEF) is also held, offering opportunities for study and academic exchanges outside the country for young people who want to do postgraduate studies. In this regard, AVAA relies on its Official Advising Center for studies in the United States (EducationUSA Venezuela) and the EduCanada Advising Center.

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About AVAA

The Venezuelan American Friendship Association (AVAA) is a Venezuelan NGO founded in 1942 with the mission to promote and support the integral education and training of young Venezuelans with a sense of improvement and high social and moral values that contribute to the harmonious development of the country, in a climate of coexistence and international friendship, in alliance with people and organizations committed to Venezuela.

Since its foundation, AVAA has developed an important public and institutional reputation as a non-profit association in Venezuela, achieving excellent indicators of credibility, impartiality and transparency within Venezuelan society.

PROEXCELENCIA benefits 250 university students with the objective of providing them better opportunities for their integral development.

The graduates of ProExcelencia AVAA have been the relief capital for many companies and organizations. Many of them currently hold important leadership positions in Venezuelan companies and organizations that contribute to the country’s sustainable development. 

AVAA Press