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After Two Decades Living on the Streets of Belem, Without Family and Without Prospects, Walmerinston Paixão Corrêa Resumed His Studies, Completed High School, Took the Enem, and Gained a Spot in Letters at UFPA; Story Moves Educators and Reignites Debate on Inclusion, Aging, and Access to Higher Education in Brazil
Walmerinston Paixão Corrêa, 64, being accepted into the Letters program at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) became one of the most remarkable cases of academic achievement in the country in 2025. After living about two decades on the streets in Belem, he decided to resume his studies and radically transform his own story.
To be able to return to the classroom, Walmerinston had to start from scratch. Without documents, income, or family support, he sought social programs, regularized his civil status, and enrolled in Youth and Adult Education (EJA), where he came back into contact with books and teachers.
In the last few years, he completed high school, studied daily in public libraries, and took the National High School Exam (Enem), achieving a sufficient score to enter UFPA. According to him, the spot represents “a rebirth.”
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A Life Marked by Abandonment and Resistance
For about 20 years, Walmerinston slept on sidewalks, in parks, and in municipal shelters. He reports having faced hunger, cold, humiliation, and constant episodes of violence while living on the streets of the capital of Pará.
Even under these conditions, he kept old notebooks where he wrote poems, reflections, and memories. The habit of recording his experiences helped him preserve the dream of studying literature and one day becoming a teacher.
The reconnection with education occurred when volunteers from a social center invited him to participate in free classes for adults in vulnerable situations. From then on, his routine changed completely.
From EJA to Enem: Discipline and Reconstruction
Walmerinston says he took advantage of every opportunity to study: he read in parks, studied at night in shelters, and attended free classes online at community telecenters. His dedication caught the attention of educators.
For the Enem, he studied writing, literature, and text interpretation with total focus. According to him, the hardest part was not the content, but “believing that there was still time.”
The effort resulted in a score that guaranteed a spot at one of the largest public universities in the country. He chose Letters because he sees the Portuguese language as “a tool for liberation.”
Social Impact and Inspiration for Public Policies
Walmerinston’s story resonated among teachers, researchers, and social movements in Pará. For specialists, cases like his highlight the importance of educational inclusion policies for people experiencing homelessness.
UFPA emphasized that the case reinforces the role of public universities in promoting social mobility and welcoming historically excluded students from the educational system.
On social media, thousands of people shared the student’s victory, describing it as “a living proof that education changes lives,” regardless of age or past.
Future Projects and the Dream of Writing Books
Already enrolled, Walmerinston intends to dedicate himself to his degree and dreams of publishing a book recounting his journey through the streets of Belem. He states that he wishes to transform pain into literature.
The new university student also wants to advocate for the rights of vulnerable people, encouraging adults and seniors to resume their studies.
For him, being accepted into university represents “a door that opens after years in the dark” — a chance to rebuild interrupted dreams and inspire those facing similar difficulties. How many lives could change if Brazil saw education the way Walmerinston saw it?
Grande Exemplo a ser seguido por centenas e centenas de pessoas, principalmente em situações de vulnerabilidade. Tá provado tb que não existe impedimento algum, qdo a escolha é determinante pras conquistas e mudanças de vida.
Parabéns, eu aos 58 anos estou concluindo a segunda graduação, a primeira em tecnólogo e agora bacharelado em ciências contábeis, creio que ainda lutando contra as adversidades encontradas nessa trajetória.
parabéns pelo seu esforço, o senhor merece vencer essa batalha siga em frente e que Deus te abençoe sempre 😘🙏