What is being done to help favela residents in Brazil and how you
can be involved. A list of organizations trying to make a
difference, with their programs, objectives, needs and contacts.

Jennifer Grant

After writing the article "Flip Side of Rio," which was published in the August 2002 edition of Brazzil, I received many letters expressing concern for the favela residents. One reader who expressed special compassion and thought, Marcos Borges, put me on the path to find out what was currently being done to make a difference in the favelas and how readers could become involved. Due to space considerations and the inability to locate all the worthy enterprises dedicated to filling the needs, it is impossible to describe each one. However, the following list of alphabetically ordered organizations demonstrate a sample of the different types of agencies assisting the favela residents and the variety of programs available:

ABC (Action for Brazil's Children) Trust

Founded by Jimena Gomez Paratcha, wife of rock legend Jimmy Page. Patrons are Jimmy Page and Brazilian soccer great, Pelé. Jimmy recently opened the new head offices in Suffolk, United Kingdom, and fans can purchase Led Zeppelin mementos on the web site in order to help fund the projects.

Area of Assistance: Rio de Janeiro's Santa Teresa district and state of Bahia in northeast Brazil

PROGRAMS:

Casa Jimmy:  In conjunction with sister charity, Task Brasil Trust, operates home for street children in Santa Teresa. Houses 15 children and 5 teenage girls. Task Brasil's other Rio projects include Crescer Programme, which maintains a home for young children up to age 6; Shining Light Programme, which supplies a home for teenage girls either pregnant or with young babies; Street Approach Programme, which offers support and advice to young people living or working on the streets; and Epsom Farm, which dispenses healthcare, vocational training and takes in young rehabilitated women who have chosen to commit to studying ecologically focused agriculture, along with offering other incentives to leave the streets.

Avante Lençóis:

Currently constructing a community center in abandoned mining favela area of Lençóis, in the state of Bahia. The center houses a community newspaper and radio station, while additionally offering workshops and sports programs. Children take part in workshops to learn capoeira (dance martial art), care of the environment, radio broadcasting and journalism, as well as how to become involved in community activities. Adolescents intern in broadcasting and journalism and have plans to create a community garden to grow vegetables. Families receive education on general healthcare, sexual health and disease prevention, citizenship and self-advocacy.

Seeds of Light Project:

Soup kitchen in Lençóis, Bahia, where hungry children and adolescents are fed, receive advice, and participate in activities and vocational workshops, which include tapestry production and recycling of paper in order to produce an income.

Buscapé:

Run under the auspices of the Office of Investigation into the Music of Bahia in the city of Salvador. Street children and children with disabilities design and make costumes, play music, sing, and practice dance routines in workshops, which culminate in participation in Salvador's Carnaval parade.

Circo Picolino:

Accepts children referred by local agencies in Salvador and trains them in the art of circus performance in order to provide an alternative source of income as opposed to life on the streets. Also admits some children from middle-class families in order to promote understanding between families of differing backgrounds.

Current Needs: Monetary donations to pay salaries for teachers and community workers who look after the children. Does not need volunteers at this time.

Contact Information:

Head Office:

ABC Trust

88-89 St. John’s Street

Bury St Edmunds

Suffolk IP33 1SQ

United Kingdom

Phone: 011-1284-747476

Fax: 011-01284-747478

E-mail: info@abctrust.org.uk  

U.S. Support Office:

Supporters ABC Inc.

2400 Las Olas Blvd PMB 262

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Phone: 954-537-9440

e-mail: abcinflorida@yahoo.com

Task Brasil Trust (sister org. of ABC)

E-mail: info@abctrust.org.uk  

P.O. Box 4901

London SE16 3PP England

Phone: 0044-207394-1177

Fax: 0044-7394-7713

Web sites: www.abctrust.org.uk

www.taskbrazil.org.uk

Submission Source: Mark Ereira, Chief Executive info@abctrust.org.uk  

AJA (Associação do Jovem Aprendiz)

Area of Assistance: All states of Brazil, Portuguese speaking Angola, which is affected by land mines, and Botswana to those infected by the AIDS virus.

Programs:

AJA's interest in helping the impoverished is focused on those with physical challenges.

ABRA (Ação Brasileira para a Acessibilidade):

ABRA (Brazilian Action for Accessibility):

Seeks to provide computer access to those with disabilities or special needs through adapting equipment, designing programs, which accommodate physical limitations, and training the person with disability in how to use them.

LIBRA ( Língua Brasileira de Sinais):

LIBRA (Brazilian Sign Language)

Trains the deaf in the use of sign language through a video course, which is taught in cultural context and prepares the deaf to function in daily life.

PNE (Pessoas com Necessidades Especiais para Professores do SENAI Nacional)

PNE (People with Special Needs for the teachers of SENAI National)

A program of training for teachers and others on how to work with the deaf and incorporate them into the workplace. Emphasized is the fact that deaf people are good at jobs requiring attention to detail.

Programa de Agentes Públicos promovido em parceria com a CORDE - Ministério da Justiça

Program of Public Agencies in Partnership with the Ministry of Justice

Promotes accessibility and advances legal rights of disabled persons.

Programa de Prevenção de HIV-AIDS e DSTs para Pessoas Surdas – UNESCO - Ministério da Saúde:

A program for prevention of HIV-AIDS and STDs for deaf persons in partnership with the Ministry of Health

Seeks to educate deaf people about sexual disease causes and preventions and help those who have contacted the HIV virus or suffer from AIDS.

Campanha Internacional para o Banimento de Minas Terrestres:

An international campaign for the Banishment of Land Mines

Offers program for young Angolan land mine victims to come to Brazil and receive vocational training and resources towards securing employment upon returning to Angola. Also strives to abolish landmines.

Ambiental e SOS Cerrado em Defesa do Meio Ambiente:

Gets young people involved in protecting their environment.

KIT ONG:

Offers a kit of resources so interested persons can start their own nonprofit without the expenses traditionally associated with establishing a non-governmental business entity.

Parquinho Way - Escola Infantil:

Preschool for disabled.

Current Needs:

Volunteers:

Socially concerned individuals with interests in a program area. Paid internships are available. Portuguese language skills necessary.

Monetary Donations:

To purchase supplies for programs

Contact Information:

AJA

Caixa Postal 10570, Lago Sul

Brasília, DF 71620-980 Brazil

Phone: 011-61-427-0140

Fax: 011-61-427-0139

E-mail: aja@aja.org.br   - aja@mail.com 

Web site: www.aja.org.br 

Submission Source: Adoni Rocha, AJA Coordinator aja@aja.org.br

Amazon Africa Aid Organization (3AO) in partnership with Fundação Esperança.

Area of Assistance: Amazon region, specifically western area in the state of Pará, and also in Portuguese speaking Africa.

PROGRAMS:

Well Drilling Program: Trains members of communities to use low-cost hand drilling technology to dig wells supplying water for the community.

Quilombo Project:

At their request, sends doctors, nurses, and public health specialists to train and educate the members of 27 remote villages where the descendants of escaped slaves currently live. These villages have almost zero access to healthcare, so one member from each receives intensive training to be able to minister to the needs of his own community.

A Child's Life Program:

Serves 24 poor neighborhoods. Teaches mothers how to better care for children through breast feeding, nutrition, recognition of danger signs of diarrhea and pneumonia, family planning, and hygiene in order to lower infant mortality rate. Brazilian partner, Fundação Esperança, has helped in the production and distribution of educational materials.

The Doug Jinks Children's Center:

Monitors and cares for children under age 3 in a favela neighborhood in Santarém, state of Pará. Serves approximately 500 children who are weighed and immunized while their mothers receive instruction on cooking nutritious meals, breast-feeding and child-care topics. Provides prenatal care and gives vaccines.

Diabetic Program:

Bestows community care for more than 600 diabetics, monitoring blood-sugar. Gives diet and exercise and community awareness instruction.

Adolescent Health Program:

Offers health care and education to more than 800 at risk youth through a local nonprofit organization. Aim of the program is to prevent teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Woman's Health Program:

Only integrated health program in the region. Nursing staff takes pap-smears, and renders menopause management, women's counseling and support, cancer-screening services.

Medical/Dental Clinics & Laboratory:

Medical clinic furnishes practical rotations for nursing and medical students (volunteers also) who treat regional illnesses and make primary care referrals. Also serves as a source for the preparation and selection of surgical patients and facilitates postoperative care. Dental Clinic provides full dental care. The laboratory handles processing of medical tests from pap-smears to urine and blood samples.

Current Needs:

Volunteers:

Physicians and dentists for the clinics

Monetary Donations:

To finance programs. Gifts of supplies are not needed at present.

Contact Info:

U.S. :

Daniel Weiss, Ph.D.

Executive Director

P.O. Box 7776

Ann Arbor, MI 48107

Tel.: (734) 769-5778

E-mail: info@amazonafrica.org  

Brazil:

Fundação Esperança

Caixa Postal 222

Santarém, Pará

CEP 68040

Tel.: 011-55-91-523-1940 or

522-2726

E-mail: fesperan@alternex.com.br

Web site: http://amazonafrica.org   

Submission Source: Dan Weiss, PhD - Executive Director

E-mail: Dan@amazonafrica.org  

Bahia Street

Area of Assistance: Salvador, Bahia

Programs: The purpose of the organization is to educate women from Salvador's favelas to enable them to pursue careers that will elevate them from the poverty cycle. This is accomplished through supplementing the 4 hours of regular public school per weekday with an additional 4 hours at the Bahia Street Center. Emphasis is on literacy, science (the lab has 5 microscopes, books, other lab equipment, a fire extinguisher, and first-aid material), technology (though more computers are needed), art therapy, and the production of short videos focusing on community issues. The curriculum for older girls includes Portuguese, science, math, humanities, English and Spanish. Younger girls study reading, math, English and how to develop study skills. Both age groups receive instruction regarding health, reproduction, sexual violence, and race/gender inequality. The staff is composed of all African-Brazilian women who come from the favelas or rural areas and have gone on to become university graduates

Current Needs:

Volunteers:

Currently needed in the Seattle home office to help coordinate events, fundraise, and maintain the web site. There is also an internship opportunity for someone to do administrative work in the Seattle office. Volunteer workers are not currently needed in Brazil. However, there is an unpaid work experience program in the works, which is hopefully going to be implemented next year there. Portuguese speakers are needed to help with the web site translations, but for other volunteers knowledge of English is sufficient.

Monetary Donations:

Helps to fund program needs, i.e. purchase of computers and other educational materials for the Center.

Contact Information:

Bahia Street

1005 NE Boat St.

Seattle, WA 98105

206-633-1724

E-mail: bahiastr@scn.org

Web site: www.bahiastreet.org

Submission Source: Margaret Wilson at bahiastr@scn.org

Brazilian Children's Outreach

Field name: Sociedade Evangélica Beneficente Betânia

Area of Assistance: Parelheiros (outskirts of São Paulo)

PROGRAMS: Founded by Billy Joe and Josephine Hart in 1974, the organization assists an average of 160 children in one of the most impoverished areas outside São Paulo.

Nutrition:

Serves three meals Monday through Friday under nutritional supervision.

Education:

Coordinates with Maanaim Educational Center to offer preschool classes.

Supplements public education for ages 7-14 in communications, math, science, social studies, and computer science

Offers vocational training for ages 15-18 in accounting basics and computer science.

Presents a sports program.

Makes available counseling and educational seminars on hygiene, child education, psychology, and job placement.

Health Care:

Operates a medical/dental clinic staffed by volunteers, one day per week.

Current Needs: Volunteers: Professional medical and dental personnel to assist in clinic as it is one of only two in an area, which has 500,000 impoverished residents and can only operate when there are professionals available to volunteer to go on the site.

Monetary Donations: Will be used to provide school uniforms and school supplies, procure the food given out in monthly food baskets (cestas básicas), and purchase more computers for the lab (there is currently only 7). Brazilian Children also wishes to expand classes to include woodworking and silk-screening and to acquire a van and music equipment.

Prayers are encouraged

Contact Info:

United States: Brazilian Children's Outreach

P.O. Box 4135

Long Beach, CA 90853

Phone/Fax: 562-434-0592

Web site: www.brazilianchildren.org

E-mail: TEvans1396@aol.com

Brazilian Field Address: Sociedade Evangélica Beneficente Betânia

C. P. 42001

04073-970 São Paulo, SP,  Brazil

Phone/Fax: 011-55-11-5920-8148

E-mail: Maanaim@br2001.com.br

Submission Source: Teena Evans, daughter of founders. E-mail TEvans1396@aol.com

Casa Esperança (House of Hope) sponsored by Saints, an associated chapter of Iris Ministries

Area of Assistance: Morro (slum) of Cordoeira in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro.

Programs: House of Hope at the Igreja (church) Comunhão na Colheita de Nova Friburgo, which is a center for impoverished youngsters that furnishes the space and resources to do schoolwork and learn computer skills, both functional and vocational. The center also offers classes in ceramics and handcrafts, celebration of special events, and an opportunity for recreational outings such as visiting nearby caves. Aided by the Lutheran Church, there is also an outreach distribution of blankets and food parcels to needy individuals and families.

Current Needs:

Volunteers:

Music teachers to conduct keyboard, drum, and guitar lessons

Teachers for English classes

People to maintain web pages giving updates on the work being done through Casa Esperança.

(Overseas workers need to know Portuguese and be familiar with Brazilian culture).

Prayer Partners:

People to pray for the work at Casa Esperança and the people involved.

Supply Donations:

Used computer parts such as RAM memory, hardware drive, CD drive, etc. These are used to teach the kids about assembling computers. Sometimes the children bring old ones that have been discarded and are able to fix them in order to have their own.

Monetary Donations:

To fund program supplies

Contact Information:

Saints at Igreja Comunhão na Colheita de Nova Friburgo

Caixa Postal 96.868

CEP 28.601-970

Nova Friburgo, RJ Brazil

011-22-9226-0515 or 011-22-2533-0211

E-mail: pcull@ig.com.br 

Web sites:

http://members.truepath.com

www.pcebrasil.org

www.paulcull.org 

Submission Source: Paul Cull pcull@ig.com.br  

EvangeMed Ministries (Ministry of the United Methodist Church)

Area of Assistance: Rio de Janeiro (Instituto Central do Povo, Gamboa district. Has Mobil clinics in Chapéu Mangueira & Rocinha, outreaches in other Rio favela bairros), Manaus (Amazon). Plans to expand into the Northeast region.

Programs:

Medical Clinic:

Instituto Central do Povo health clinic volunteering free services of physicians, nurses, social workers, nutritionists, physiologists, health care workers, and a pastor.

CEMAG Ecological Center

Reforestation projects. Grows 60 species of herbs, which are used to produce medicines sold at reasonable prices.

Education:

Founded Bennett Social Science and Medical Training College for women.

Manages 435 child nursery/preschool open from 7:30 a.m.-5:00pm so parents can work outside the favela.

Camp and Retreat Center - Camp John Wesley Clay

Hosts summer children's camp providing recreational experience in the mountains located 70 miles outside of Rio. Camp also functions as retreat center year for youth and women's conferences.

Recreation:

Playground on Instituto Central do Povo's property for daily leisure use. Local sports association donates free soccer training programs for 150 children of impoverished families.

Núcleo de Ação Comunitária (Nucleus of Community Action) Program:

Mobile unit contributing intermural services to outlying favela areas (i.e. Morro da Providência) which includes: arranging for documentation such as birth certificates; distributing food; medically treating children with HIV, TB, deafness, etc.; holding informative classes and meetings for mothers; facilitating educational & job training classes; conducting educational/recreational trips to places such as the zoo. Currently developing plans in connection with the Ana Gonzaga Methodist Institute to build homeless children's shelter for youngsters from Rio's Central area, which will be constructed next to the Instituto Central do Povo.

Drug Rehabilitation

Administers a drug rehabilitation clinic through Taquara church program; conducts drug and AIDS education.

Evangelism:

Teaches about Christ and Christian morality to community in accordance with Christian belief as understood within the Methodist Protestant Denomination.

Current Needs:

Volunteers:

Health professionals to assist in Medical Clinic

Christian outreach workers for community evangelism.

Monetary Donations:

May be made to Methodist World Evangelism Fund in U.S. or sent to head office in Rio.

Contact Info:

Rio de Janeiro head office:

Evangemed

Rua Marquês de Abrantes, 55

Flamengo

Rio de Janeiro, R. J. 22230-06

011-21-2557-3542 or 2557-7999

United States contact:

World Evangelism of United Methodist Church

Scarritt-Bennett Center

Nashville, TN 37212

615-340-7547

Instituto Central do Povo

Rua Rivadávia Corrêa, 188

Gamboa

Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20220-290

E-mail: info@worldmethodist.org

Web sites: http://evangemed.tripod.com    

http://evangemed.tripod.com.br

www.worldmethodist.org/evangemed 

Submission Source: Internet search in connection with United Methodist Church

Iris Ministries

Area of Assistance: São Paulo area, serving the bairros of Água Rasa, São Miguel Paulista and Guarulhos. Hoping to expand to eventually encompass 42 neighborhoods.

Programs: Iris was originally founded in 1995 to minister to African families and has now expanded to 9 different countries, including 2 years ago to Brazil. The emphasis of the organization is to meet practical needs of widows, orphans, the homeless or those with inadequate housing and teach practical Christian values.

Community Development:

Distributes food baskets to 50 needy families. Hopes to expand to 350.

Builds wooden living structures for those dwelling in tents.

Conducts projects with the homeless (both street kids and adults), and has drug rehabilitation, and recycling programs.

Education:

Offers fundamentals of basic education.

Hosts day-care center.

Teaches programs involving the arts to prepare participants for generation of income.

Instructs in practical Christian spiritual principles.

Radio & Television Foundation:

Production of radio and television programs.

Current Needs:

Volunteers: (Portuguese/Spanish speaking preferred, but English OK)

Doctors, nurses, dentists, psychologists, and therapists to render medical care.

Teachers to provide basic education or work in a day care center.

4 Manual artists to help teach skills for working in trades.

Journalists to produce radio and television programming.

Material Donations:

Construction materials, nonperishable food, clothing, shoes, furniture, and areas for storage.

Monetary Donations:

Will be used toward programs as described above.

Contact Info:

Associação Ministério no Brasil

Av. Sapopemba 1.162

Bairro Água Rasa

São Paulo, S.P. 03345-000

011-55-6128-9062 or 6121-6561

E-mail: irisministries@africamail  or prdribiero@bol.com.br

Website: www.irismin.hpg.com.br

Submission Source: Dirceu Ribeiro, associated minister at prdribeiro@bol.com.br 

Students Helping Street Kids International

Area of Assistance: Rio de Janeiro, Recife, São Paulo, and Goiânia in Brazil. Tanzania in Africa.

Programs: Sponsors scholarships for favela youngsters, 23 in Brazil and 4 in Tanzania, allowing them to attend private schools in their own communities. Funds are used toward tuition, books, school supplies, uniforms, school transportation, and, if necessary, a monthly food basket. Donors are able to follow progress of a selected child throughout their education until graduation from high-school, thus allowing for cross-cultural learning, social awareness, and international solidarity. Students Helping Street Kids aspires to involve entire classrooms who utilize the charitable process as a multi-cultural learning tool. Brazilian facilitators include internationally recognized human rights activist, Yvonne Mello, chapters from local Rotary Clubs, and Brazilian street children programs. Contributors include American and Brazilian students, individuals, families, church and dental groups, and Rotary Clubs.

Current Needs:

Scholarship Providers:

Each scholarship costs approximately US $1,500-US $2,000 annually and is tax deductible. In the U.S., classrooms, individuals, or groups may contribute whole or part of this amount and in turn will be put in contact with the child whose education they are sponsoring.

Volunteers for Internship Program:

English as a second language teachers to serve for 3-6 months at Escola Profissionalizante Dalka de Araújo, a Rotary owned vocational school in Recife.

Assistants to serve at Movimento Pró-Criança, a street children program.

Contact Info:

Students Helping Street Kids International

2720 Fillmore Street

P.O. Box 50236

Eugene, OR 97405-0973

1-877-543-7697 (toll-free) or 541-686-1396

E-Mail: bcrites@helpthekids.org

Web site: www.helpthekids.org

Submission Source: Bob Crites, Founder/President at bcrites@helpthekids.org  

Viva Rio (Umbrella organization for the programs described below)

Area of Assistance: Low income communities in Rio de Janeiro including Favela da Rocinha.

Programs:

Education: Telecourses for children and adults at primary and secondary levels. Music instrument classes under the direction and coordination of professional musicians (Villa-Lobinhos program). Gardening programs, which train young people to care for the city's landscapes (Jardineiros de Bairro program). Computer science services either providing access, use training, or practical application of skills (Serviço Civil Voluntário, Zeladores Comunitários da Cidadania, Criança Esperança, Viva Favela, Viva Micro Clubes de Informática programs). Entrepreneur development (Viva Credit, Comércio Solidário programs).

Violence Prevention: Conflict resolution for young people between 12 and 25 years of age given in connection with the Brazilian Federation of Boxing Luta pela Paz program). Legal aid (Balanço de Direitos program), reduction of weapons and disarmament (Desarmamento program). Police Junior Cadet positions utilizing materials produced in conjunction with the Institute of Public Safety (Capacitação de Policiais program). Peace promotion/consciousness raising (Campanhas program).

Community Development: Reconstruction of homes damaged by floods and construction of new housing (Rio da Flores program)

Library Service Improvement: Project to furnish computers, Internet connections, scanners and printers to 500 libraries (Bibliotecas FUST program).

Environmental: Reforestation and natural environment maintenance (Oeste Verde, Viveiro de Mudas, Reflorestamento programs). Development of Praia de Ramos area into an environmental park (Parque Ambiental da Praia de Ramos program).

Current Needs: Volunteers: People with knowledge in areas covered by one of the programs listed above. Viva Rio will match volunteers with the correct project and train them to work in the favelas based on their experience, interests, and skills. Basic Portuguese language skills are necessary (or provide own interpreter).

Monetary Donations: Will be used to finance the social projects prioritized by immediate need.

Contact Info:

Viva Rio/ Viva Favela

Ladeira da Glória 98/Sala 13

Gloria

Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22211-120

Phone: 011-55-21-2555-3767

Web site: www.servoluntario.org.br

E-mail: alberto@vivario.org.br

Submission Source: Alberto Almeida with volunteer program of Viva Rio.

E-mail: alberto@vivario.org.br

Readers do need to be advised that information for this article was compiled from various professional and personal sources, including from readers of Brazzil. To the best extent possible, the author has confirmed the information submitted. However, neither the author nor the editor of Brazzil knows these organizations personally, so each reader who wishes to become involved should carefully check out the listing and verify the details on their own before volunteering or contributing.

Like anyone else, favela residents need hope, encouragement, and prayers. As you can see, there are organizations and individuals who sustain that and welcome your involvement with them.

Jennifer Grant wishes to thank Marcos Borges of Rio for initiating this article and Eduardo Borgerth of Niterói for his future contributions to favela youth through his upcoming radical sports enterprise’s sponsorship of programs or events. Also, Los Angeles residents Jazon da Silva Santos formerly of Maceió and Ana Paula Duarte, formerly of Rio, and Mary Schwichtenberg of Lake San Marcos, CA, for helping her develop and maintain the Portuguese language skills, which made this article possible. She is a free-lance journalist with an interest in facilitating better understanding between the U.S. and Brazil. E-mails in English or Portuguese may be sent to sjennig@yahoo.com

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