Help Alvaro reach his dreams

Meet Alvaro, a 30 year old Columbian International Student currently studying Building Design at TAFE in Victoria.

In January 2020, Alvaro sold up his life, utilized all his savings, said goodbye to all of his family and friends and moved to Australia to start his lifelong dream of becoming an Architect. Alvaro’s journey has been less than smooth in Australia, with Covid hitting shortly after his course began – pushing the majority of his learning online. A tough time for everyone but imagine doing it alone. Recently, Alvaro has been in two bicycle accidents. The first one he t-boned a car with his face (the car driver didn’t see him!) Resulting in surgery and week in hospital again alone. The second he was caught by an unsuspecting driver opening their door whilst Alvaro was riding past. Both times Alvaro has been badly injured, limiting his capacity to care for himself financially and physically; and as the lockdowns continue socially it is debilitatingly lonely.

Due to these multiple set backs, Alvaro has been unable to save the money needed to purchase a laptop for his studies – which was his intention upon arriving in Australia. If any of you are in the construction and design industry you will be fully aware of the programs such as Revit and AutoCAD that are essential for the role. All high processing speed computer based programs. At present, Alvaro is hand sketching (with a very injured hand) his assignments and utilizing a TAFE loan laptop (when the TAFE is able to open).

This goFundme page has been created with the primary intention to raise funds to purchase a laptop for Alvaro, and if possible a new pushbike (his only mode of transport which was first destroyed in the accident, then a gifted one was stolen this week). A laptop will allow Alvaro to complete his studies and present himself and his portfolio in the best way possible when he applies for jobs upon completion of the course this year.

We have talked to Alvaro about his fundraiser, and in true Alvaro fashion – through tears he said ‘your friendship is so special, I’ve been so lonely and unable to see my way out of what is happening. I feel my luck is starting to change, I am so grateful’.

And now we do what Aussies do best, we help people when they are down and they feel like there is no way out.

If you can spare any change – please help Alvaro out. When we spoke with him, he was full of gratitude and is just wanting to fulfil his dream of working as a building designer, then architect – so that he can change the trajectory of not only his life, but others back in Columbia.

This fundraiser is forming a part of the Evoke Wellbeing Random Acts of Kindness Drive – showing simple kindness to someone can change a life.

Thank you and Take Care – Arnna and Luke