A chat over cookies at the Festival des Migrations led René Michél to Tandem, our mentorship programme. Originally from Bolivia, the engineer and true globetrotter recently relocated from Luxembourg to the Netherlands. During his time in Luxembourg, René mentored Luka, a now 16-year-old boy from Ukraine.
We spoke with René about his Tandem experience.
What will you remember about Tandem?
There’s nothing to forget — I’m still in touch with Luka. We still chat regularly. He recently told me about his plans to go to Ukraine.
When we first met, it was a little complicated to get him to open up. But now, we’re definitely friends. He often asks for my opinion — about business books I recommend, for example — or we talk about movies, gym exercises, or career plans. It’s not about any particular topic; it’s more about life itself. He even visited both companies I worked for in Luxembourg. It became an organic friendship, and I’m very happy about that.
Did you expect your relationship to evolve that way?
From my side, that was exactly what I hoped for. I wanted to understand what Luka liked, where he wanted to go, and help nurture those things. Whenever he showed interest in something, I tried to explore it with him. From the start, my goal was to build an organic friendship — to go beyond the formalities.
Was there a key moment — an icebreaker — that changed your dynamic?
I think there was one. The first two or three meetings were really scripted — you have some questions to get to know each other. But when we started talking about the war and how he feels about it, that’s when we moved past the formal conversations and our relationship became closer.
What impact did Tandem have on you?
It reminded me that it doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, or where you come from — if you’re willing to invest yourself, you can change someone’s life.
We came from completely different places and cultures — Ukraine, Bolivia, and then Luxembourg — and we weren’t even using our native languages to communicate. Plus, Luka was already 14 when we met, although the programme is usually for children between 8 and 12 years old. But I like a good challenge! We had to discover everything from zero. If I’d told him, “We’re going to draw today,” he probably would’ve thrown the notebook at me. There were days when I had to chase him!
The most important thing is to remember that it doesn’t matter where or who you are — as long as your intentions are good and you put in the effort.
What would you say to someone considering becoming a Tandem mentor?
There are many reasons to become a Tandem mentor. It reminds you that you’re part of a community. Whatever we do — even unintentionally — has an impact on the next generations. Through mentoring, we can make a conscious, positive impact on someone’s life who isn’t part of our family.
Nowadays, everything revolves around phones and distance. Having the opportunity to be reminded by young people — by teenagers and children — of what humanity is, that’s really special. It fills you with energy.
After a week of adult life and planning, Luka and I would just go out for pizza or watch a movie together — little things. You realise that happiness doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. I also really liked that we talked about similar questions I had when I was his age. It made me reflect on what mattered to me 20 years ago and how that has evolved. It grounds me.
If you can give your time to a cause you believe in, do it — not because you have free time, but because you want to invest in someone.
If René and Luka's story has inspired you, why not become a Tandem mentor yourself? Learn more about the programme or sign up for our next info session.