"When I come here, I feel like I am fulfilling a dream; that what I want is coming true. It's nice."

Marcos Pineda is 16 years old. He lives in Guasdualito, a town located in Apure state, near the border with Colombia, in the Venezuelan plains.

He says his mother passed away many years ago. She made all the curtains in the house and cushions and some of his clothes. Marcos has his mother's machines and feels that part of his purpose is to use them to do something good.

Within his community is the Centro Educativo de Capacitación Laboral José Pastor, or "CECAL" as many know it, which is supported by UNICEF and implementing partners through the provision of tools and supplies. CECAL provides life skills courses for adolescents from vulnerable communities, including cutting and sewing, baking, office automation and hairdressing, while also providing training in violence prevention.

Marcos attends school in the morning, and in the afternoon, he goes to CECAL for cutting and sewing classes. He was inspired by his mother's dedication, and now this learned skill is his dream and life project.

“Sewing, for me, is an art; I learned that skills are developed, and it is not so easy to develop this skill. My dream is to be a designer; it is my life project," explains Marcos.

Along with the provision of supplies, UNICEF helped create a network of entrepreneurs in the municipality for adolescents, generating spaces for development and an internship program where they carry out professional practice for at least six weeks.

"I like being here more than at home because I feel that I am doing what I like. When I come here, I feel like I'm fulfilling a dream; that what I want is coming true. It's nice," says Marcos. 

At first it was not easy to explain to his father and friends that his passion was sewing. In his small town, most are farmers, and there are armed groups and other risks. That a teenager wanted to devote himself to fashion was something many people did not understand.

"When I had that experience, I began to investigate and explained to my father that in ancient times, it was the men who sewed. They wore leather and made needles out of bones. I know who I am and what I want. The psychologist has given me tools; she helps me to manage things better, especially at home," says Marcos. 

CECAL has psychosocial support services and an ombudsman's office for children in the community, which has been strengthened with technical support from UNICEF in coordination with local authorities and implementing partners. Additionally, thanks to the coordination between the protection council, the ombudsman's office, and the community, adolescents are eligible for special work permits that provide the resources to continue with their life projects upon completion of their studies.

"I feel more confident and empowered. I want to go to college; I would like to go to another state to study and do what I love. My dream is to be a great designer and have a great clothing collection and a brand of my own," says Marcos, his eyes sparkling.

Professor Elisabeth Pérez, who teaches sewing at CECAL, proudly shows off Marcos' creations, including the turquoise blue shirt next to her. "Marcos is very creative and talented; he always helps his classmates to keep learning. He is going to go very far, and one day he will say that he came from a small town in Apure called Guasdualito," she says. 

I asked Marcos what he would say to someone just starting out like him who wants to chase their dreams. This is what he said:

"They should not be held back because they are men; there is no need to limit themselves. There are no girl things or boy things. There is always rejection by society, and they stereotype you for doing something considered ladylike. It was hard because my dad said it wasn't something for me and clipped my wings. Then, I was able to make him understand that I am good at it, and he supported me. You don't have to care what other people say. Today I feel very proud of what I have achieved”, says Marcos.