About a third of the Brazilian population lives in poverty. Many families in rural communities don’t have plumbing or access to clean communal water sources. Since 1966, we have helped 285,494 Brazilian people in 864 communities rise above these challenges and lead more productive lives.
Progress starts with a passionate, productive workforce
Many Brazilians are treated like thieves and criminals, simply because they have no money. While we may not be able to eradicate this discrimination, we can begin to put an end to the poverty. We train villagers in trades they can use to support their children, such as animal and fish husbandry, planting community vegetable and fruit gardens, production and commercialization of food, beekeeping, and professional education. We even offer loans to allow people to start their own businesses.
"My dream is to undo the image that outsiders and the media have of this village. I want to struggle and work so that this village may not be considered a miserable place." - Natanael, 13 years old
However, we know that reversing the cycle of poverty starts with educating the children. A safe, nurturing environment is important for learning, particularly from infancy through age six. We provide day-care centers that foster early childhood development and prepare youth – both intellectually and emotionally – for school. As children get older, our programs address not only their cognitive development but also their cultural and artistic skills. Right now, our educational program is teaching 74,946 Brazilian children and adolescents to become more productive members of the community.
Our educational support extends beyond the classroom. After-school centers provide a helping hand with homework as well as a balanced meal, while dream corners, or small libraries, open up a whole new world of books, activities and learning tools. And at toy libraries, which encourage interactive learning, you might find one child making a doll from a sock while another learns to play a guitar. Because parents are encouraged to be an active part of their children’s education, programs in literacy, skills development, education, sports, and art are open to them as well.
Health: A vital component for progress
Improper nutrition prevents some babies from reaching a healthy weight in childhood. We don’t simply teach families better nutrition; we go into homes and actually show them ways to improve their children’s nutrition, health and quality of life. Proper nutrition is even reinforced at our day-care centers. To date, nearly 46,000 families have benefitted from the nutrition training our workers and volunteers provide every day.
Proper nutrition is only half the battle. To create more vital Brazilian communities, we must also educate the Brazilian people about taking care of their health. Our community health program provides families with training on disease prevention and reproductive health. In this training, parents learn about vaccines, prevention and control of infections, oral rehydration therapy, pregnancy, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and pre-natal exams.
Many of the families living in rural Brazil do not have plumbing in their homes. To compound the problem, many communal water sources are also unsanitary for drinking and insufficient to meet demand. The solution is as close as these families’ rooftops. To stem the spread of hepatitis, cholera and other water-borne diseases, we have implemented rooftop rainwater catchment systems in the Jequitinhonha Valley region of Brazil. One reservoir stores enough water to supply a family of five for six months. This system means families no longer have to spend hours each day in search of clean water or years of their lives dealing with the repercussions of not having it.
We are working to make life better for the people of Brazil every day in countless ways. Help us give Brazil a more productive, promising future.
