Igor Valente - European Rolex Scholar

Igor Valente, 24, has been chosen as the 2007 European Rolex Scholar. A Portuguese citizen born and raised in Mozambique, Igor has witnessed first hand the realities of a developing country, while being able to compare it to life in wealthier nations during his travels. He has always been keen to learn more about other cultures and languages and have new experiences, leading him to become fluent in English and Spanish, along with a bit of French.

Having started swimming from an early age, coupled with living close to the sea, he always felt at home in the water and had a desire to learn more about what lay under the surface. In spite of this, it was still some time until he tried scuba diving, something that seemed like just a dream, due to circumstances like the Mozambican civil war and resulting lack of facilities.

During his year out from his Electronic Engineering degree, he finally had his first breath underwater. It was an experience that changed his focus completely, and he was hooked for life.

At the end of his degree he followed his passion, going to Egypt and Australia to gain his PADI Instructor license. Along with some work experience in these places he also did some work in the UK and a full season in Minorca, further increasing his skills and underwater experiences.

Read more about the Our World-Underwater Scholarship program by visiting their website: http://www.owuscholarship.org.