MOI starts 2026 with alignment meeting and project expansion

IMPA’s Olympic Girls (MOI) project began 2026 at an expanding pace. On Wednesday (4), the initiative’s coordinators met at IMPA’s headquarters with new partners who will begin implementation this year. Representatives from the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF) and the São Francisco de Itabapoana (RJ) municipal school attended the meeting, which presented the project, its history and pedagogical foundations.

“MOI is not a project that visits the school, does experiments and promotes fun. We really intend to change the lives of these students, these girls. We don’t go through their lives, we stay in their lives. I often say that once MOI forever MOI. What we want is for the girls to carry MOI with them and to have confidence in themselves,” said Letícia Rangel, MOI’s coordinator.

Leticia Rangel

The MOI’s alignment with the UN’s 2030 Agenda was also reinforced, especially with regard to gender equality and the promotion of inclusive, quality education. The project highlights the role of the school as a fundamental space for breaking down historical barriers that keep girls away from exact sciences.

“We are several schools, but we are not several projects, we are a single project. What unites us are the principles and what we believe in,” Letícia stressed

New MOI partners

In the afternoon, the meeting was dedicated to a general alignment with new participants and those already working on the project. The meeting covered the MOI’s internal organization, the expansion process, teacher training and the use of collaborative tools planned for 2026.

“The MOI has been a very powerful social experience, because I see how many girls have their potential hidden by historical and social factors. Through MOI and IMPA, I’m showing them that it’s possible to achieve incredible things,” said Bianca Paulino, a MOI graduate who works at the Miguel Nunes Barbosa Municipal School.

Bianca Paulino

The impact of the MOI on the academic and personal trajectory of the participants was also highlighted by Estrela Nascimento, an Information Systems student at the Fluminense Federal University (UFF), who is currently taking part in the IMPA Summer School.

“This project, which I did for about two years, was the place where I felt welcomed to enter the STEAM field, so it was very important for my career decision, what I was going to pursue. I’m learning a lot on the summer course and I can only thank the MOI for giving me so many opportunities,” she said.

Estrela Nascimento

The expectation is that 2026 will be marked by the strengthening and growth of the project, with the expansion of its founding principles: collaborative work, continuous training, the presence of the university in the school and a commitment to gender equality in education. “The more MOI spreads, the better – as long as we maintain unity, principles and purpose,” said Letícia.