Support young leaders to change Latam's future

Dear partners and donors,

Because of the stories and achievements of our LALíderes, we are reminded every day that lasting change is never built alone.

Thanks to you, 2026 is moving forward with ambition and momentum. All driven by partners and donors who know that transforming Latin America starts by investing in youth, their character, courage, and capacity to lead.

As you read this edition, know that every step forward reflects your commitment. Thank you for being part of the force that turns potential into purpose!

 

We begin 2026 with the first season of the year (in January and February) reaching 98 Camps and 3,378 LALíderes trained. All of this, fulfilling our commitment to prepare young leaders to act with purpose, collaboration, and systemic vision.

Our network of LALíderes is represented throughout 20 countries of Latin America and more, including 2,160 Brazilian LALíderes (64%) and 1,147 Hispanic LALíderes (34%) (71 others).

And it doesn’t stop there: we also hosted Leadership Panels (virtual and in-person) that brought together inspiring leaders who generously shared their journeys, creating spaces for dialogue and courage for our youth.

 



Social Ïmpact dinner hosted by Bloomberg on January 27th - Camp BLB16 (English)

We held two Social Impact Dinners, connecting LALíderes, donors, mentors, and partners in meetings marked by genuine exchange, including a special edition held at Bloomberg’s office, strengthening a partnership that continues to open doors and build bridges.

 



 

LALA has been acknowledged by Endeavor Brasil as an Organization that Developers Entrepreneurs!

Receiving this award at the Endeavor Annual Meeting from Luiz Sergio Vieira (CEO of Ernst &Young) was an important milestone. Looking out at the audience and seeing the support of board members and donors who have walked with us since the beginning solidified the certainty that we do not achieve greatness alone.



Fernanda Caloi, CEO of LALA Brasil, during the ceremony together with Ana Gabriela Couto from Fundação Behring (organization that was also awarded), and Maria Teresa Fornea (Managing Director from Endeavor Brasil).

Hearing questions from leaders and allies like "How can I get closer?" is the greatest fuel to continue scaling the impact this unique network has on our youth's dreams.


This award is only possible thanks to all of our supporters, donors and partners. You make our work possible. To Endeavor Brasil, our deepest gratitude for your trust, for this recognition, and for believing in the power of investing in those who are shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs in Brazil.

 



 

We are thrilled to announce that 2026 will be the launch year of "Olhares da América Latina," LALA’s first project made possible through tax-incentivized fundraising in Brazil. This milestone was made possible by an exclusive partnership with CloudWalk, a global fintech company that believed in our mission to use culture and art as tools for transformation and leadership among Latin American youth.

Special thanks to Luis Silva, Pedro Terra, and Taianá Honório for their strategic vision and for writing this new chapter with LALA. With this support, we will train young people in photography, public speaking, and social media, enabling them to build their own narratives and raise awareness about the many realities of our region.
 

Olhares da América Latina will begin by selecting 300 young people from among the more than 3,000 LALíderes, representing the 20+ countries where they live. LALA will provide free workshops for participants on photographic techniques, curation, and narrative construction.
The works will be exhibited in a virtual exhibition that promises to celebrate cultural diversity and showcase the creative potential of our LALíderes.

This is LALA Brazil’s first project fully funded through the Rouanet Law. More projects are planned for 2026/2027. If your company also supports initiatives through incentivized funding and would like to learn about or support our projects, please contact: renata.cerqueira@somoslala.org

 



 

Leadership potential is everywhere in Latin America, yet access to the opportunities that develop it remains unequal. To help close that gap, LALA and Porticus launched the project Elevating Underrepresented Youth in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. Through the partnership, 32 Porticus Scholars joined LALA on full scholarships to participate in our 2025 leadership bootcamps. It also helps strengthen LALA’s ability to better serve rural and low-income youth by surfacing blind spots in outreach, support systems, and learning experiences.

You can read a summary of key learnings here.REA

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The Timing Is Now: Why Youth Mental Health is the Next Economic Imperative

Youth mental health is increasingly being framed not only as a moral priority, but as an economic imperative. In this piece, SecondMuse argues we’re facing a “human mind in recession” at a moment when 41% of the world is under 24—and highlights a core shift: moving from funding treatment to investing in prevention, building emotional regulation and well-being skills early. They note that mental health represents ~15% of the global disease burden, yet receives ~2% of health funding, with youth mental health challenges projected to cost the global economy an estimated $5T in healthcare expenditures and lost productivity. Read more here.

THANK YOU!

THE LALA TEAM