Social Volunteer

• YOUTH ART HAVEN

Youth Art Haven is a program founded by two young American transplants to Brazil, Rachel Santos and Elicia Blodgett, both are serious, determined and capable bi-lingual advocates for children, youth and the dispossessed. They began on the island of Itaparica but are relocating to the mainland, temporarily housed at the Permaculture and Art Organization which permits them to use the studio space for workshops and classes.

Orphanages are the most direct beneficiaries of work that could be undertaken by foreign volunteers, but Youth Art Haven has collaborated with Rhythm of Hope and Engineers without Borders on a rural sanitation project, and Elicia has worked with homeless youth on drugs who show a desire to turn their lives around. Youth Art Haven hopes to one day work with children rescued from the sex industry.

VOLUNTEERING POSSIBILITIES - Until their present situation can be better resolved Youth Art Haven can only accept volunteers with a minimum basic level of competency in Portuguese who propose their own opportunities, are comfortable coming and going unescorted and can volunteer for at least a one to three month period. They will try to accommodate individuals interested in volunteering in art, theatre, music, dance, environmentalism or public health.

Link: Youth Art Haven

 
• PROJETO CULTURAL ARTE CONSCIENTE

Arte Consciente is a remarkable project in Saramandaia, a one square kilometer ‘bairro' that was formed by five young men in response to the murders of children there by other children. All five learned how to transform young lives as beneficiaries in important other social programs (Projeto Axé, the Circo Picolino circus school and Cidade Mãe).

Before 2005 Arte Consciente had only the street to work with the children and youth of Saramandaia. In addition to life-mentoring it conduces activities in dance, percussion, circus arts, boxing, street graffiti and soccer. Since 2005 the program leaders and visiting volunteers have been constructing a three story community center with an infusion of resources facilitated by the US NGO Rhythm of Hope.

VOLUNTEERING POSSIBILITIES - Anything related to any of the activities offered. Arte Consciente also often needs help with informatics and is involved in audio production and constructing drums. When it can afford to purchase what it needs to do so it wants to begin silk-screening its own T-shirts (currently they have to pay someone else to produce them). Foreign language or arts and crafts instruction or projects are suitable and the program is open to considering other possibilities. Labor and skills are needed to complete the community center build-out.

Link: Projeto Cultural Arte Consciente (portuguese version only)

 
• PROJETO ESCOLA DIDÁ

Didá dance and percussion school in UN World Heritage Site Pelourinho works with women and girls, and young children. It was formed to instill dignity and self-esteem, and otherwise, serve black and mixed-race women and girls. These have traditionally had to bear unjustifiable burdens in Brazil and as being "exotics" from poor communities are targets of Euro sex-tourism (American sex tourists tend to go to Thailand and Guatemala).

Didá was formed by Neguinho do Samba who, as co-founder and drum master for the Olodum children's drum corps, performed with Paul Simon and Michael Jackson. He has been important in the resurgence and further evolution of Afro-Brazilian rhythms. Didá is housed in a building donated to this program by Paul Simon, it mentors the women and girls on many issues important to them, provides health services when doctors volunteer their time and in a Wall Mart sponsored program currently focuses on teaching trade skills.

VOLUNTEERING POSSIBILITIES - Anything related to current offerings (percussion & dance, informatics, costume making, audio production, culture of math, constructing drums and silk-screening T-shirts), health and nutrition, and foreign language or arts and crafts instruction or projects. Or you can ask Didá what it needs help with, and Didá is open to defining an opportunity in another area if you have other special interest. Understandably, only females can volunteer here.

Link: Projeto Escola Didá

 
• CENTRO CULTURAL E EDUCACIONAL OMODARA

Omodara is the life work of Lúcia Píres in the Itapua bairro. Omodara is a contraction of two African words which signify beautiful and child. But Omodara does not only work with children. Lúcia very much wants to establish self-sufficiency training programs to help single women and mothers to acquire life and career skills. And young men study English and other languages to increase their own life chances through employment.

The number of children served by Omodara rises and falls from year to year. In some years there are many, and both morning and afternoon sessions are conducted (children in Brazil only attend school for half a day). Omodara needs to find ways to more effectively serve its beneficiaries to engage more children more consistently. But there are generally afternoon sessions for children and English and Spanish language classes are popular.

VOLUNTEERING POSSIBILITIES - Omodara embraces volunteers with an appropriate skill to work with women or children, or who can teach foreign languages. A cultural orientation / community tour is provided and scheduling is flexible as long as a volunteer is reliable. Itapua is a poor community but not a favela, and though it is a good distance from school, students and former students have volunteered there and found it to be a rewarding experience. Potential volunteers will meet with Lúcia to discuss the possibilities.

Link: Centro Cultural e Educacional Omodara

 
• Instituto de Cultura Brasil Itália Europa (ICBIE)

ICBIE, in the tranquil historic bairro of Ribeira, offers a refuge for visiting artists and scholars, and the use of its facilities as well as cultural exchange, and foreign language and informatics instruction to the local poor community, including some from Novos Alagados, a particularly impoverished favela (slum) literally constructed on stilts over water.

By supporting local initiatives, a renowned street artist who works in Novos Alagados, and sometimes initiating projects or working in collaboration with city officials and strategic partners like Rhythm of Hope and Crianças da Bahia, ICBIE seeks to increase life chances for highly at risk populations and improve living standards among the poor.

VOLUNTEERING POSSIBILITIES - ICBIE is often seeking foreign language and informatics instructors but, as is true for all other programs, volunteer foreign language instructors are expected to commit for an extended period of time. Special projects can be, and often are, defined by ICBIE and volunteers, collectively. If you have a particular interest or skill you wish to share, and want to volunteer at ICBIE, you should bring that to the attention of our contact there.

 Link: Instituto de Cultura Brasil Itália Europa