Originally from Cuiabá, in the Santo Antônio do Pedregal neighborhood, Ademilson Pereira is a nursing technician and a leader with a trajectory marked by volunteering, social engagement, and community actions since the age of 15. These early experiences helped him understand early on the power of collective action and community mobilization.
His journey in politics began alongside his mother, doing volunteer work in the community. His first contact with social action was through the Legion of Good Will (LBV), where he participated in weight control, milk distribution, and nutritional supplementation for pregnant women and children at risk of malnutrition, in addition to organizing lectures for the mothers' club and senior citizen groups of the neighborhood's Residents' Association. Throughout his life, he deepened his social commitment, participating in youth movements, joining the board of the Residents' Association, and founding, along with other young people, a bakery cooperative that inspired public policies aimed at youth. Later, he became involved in political training courses and ran for city council in 2020 and state representative in 2022 – races that secured him the position of alternate representative on both occasions and allowed him to accumulate practical experience in politics, consolidating his understanding that it is through politics that social transformation is achieved.
Education and health as a transformation
On Brazil's 2024 Renewal Day, Ademilson brought this experience to the field of community health. His action, focused on health education and disease prevention, involved nursing care—including blood pressure and capillary glucose checks—a vaccination room, lectures on domestic accidents, hypertension, diabetes, eating habits and disease prevention, as well as realistic first aid simulations. The target audience was children, adolescents, and adults from the outskirts of Cuiabá, expanding access to information and disease prevention practices, often inaccessible to these communities.
"For me, Renewal Day symbolizes the awakening of political consciousness and the power of collective action on behalf of the people on the periphery, those who are furthest from the 'eyes' of those in power," emphasizes Ademilson.
According to him, bringing together volunteer professionals — nurses, technicians, nutritionists, social workers, and doctors — made it possible to create a care network that combined service, information, and community mobilization, reinforcing the social impact of the action.
Among the most memorable moments, Ademilson cites the children's engagement in educational activities, the active participation of families in lectures, and the interaction between volunteers and residents, which generated trust and reinforced the idea that even small actions can transform realities. He also emphasizes that, more than numbers or immediate results, the project allowed for strengthening bonds, raising community awareness, and empowering individuals to take care of their own health.
The experience also provided important lessons about leadership and mobilizing people. “I realized that impact doesn't depend solely on resources, but on the ability to unite people with a common purpose, organize efforts, and believe in collective transformation. This action showed that real leadership is built collectively and through listening,” says Ademilson.
Photo: travel and paths
