A Powerful Oasis of Hope Deep in the Brazilian Favela

Children & youth

Jan 15

Who: Children at Risk Foundation and Rede Cultural Beija-Flor

What: Social work for children growing up in favelas and their families

Where: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Project period: 2010-2021

Web: Children at Risk Foundation and Rede Cultural Beija-Flor

Children at Risk Foundation helps children in the favelas in Sao Paulo in Brazil through our partner organization, Rede Cultural Beija-Flor (RCBF). The “favelas” are the slum areas characterized by poverty, violence, crime, drugs and a lack of basic public services like health and education. This creates huge social problems and the children have few opportunities and poor future prospects. Uncertainty and unpredictability make these areas a very challenging place to spend your childhood.

Children at Risk Foundation (CARF), is a Norwegian NGO based in Bergen. The social work is done at three activity and cultural centers in Diadema located on the outskirts of Sao Paulo. Art, culture and sports are the tools utilized and characterize its social work. The children and youngsters are obliged to attend regular public school in order to be part the project. Outside school hours, instead of being idle and exposed to negative influence in the favelas, the children and teenagers are at our centers where they engage in various social activities. Here they build up knowledge, confidence and belief in their own potential. There is strong emphasis on the social community.

It all started as a small project focused on helping street children in the center of Sao Paulo. Over time, it has evolved into a medium-sized social project. The main focus is on art and culture as tools coupled with mentoring programs for young leaders from the same areas. In 2021, around 500 children and young people took part in the activities. As a whole, the project helped over 1000 families through food distribution, educational courses, job placement services, etc.

Today, the activities at the three centers focus on all members of the family, not only the child. The project strives to be a pulsating, lush and safe oasis for the entire family in the middle of the grey favela. Mothers, grandmothers, fathers and grandfathers also come to the centers to learn, grow and socialize.

Creativity and unity

While uncertainty and unpredictability make it hard to grow up in these areas, there is a strong sense of unity, and participating families and children actively use creativity in order to survive in difficult circumstances. They have a joy and positive spirit of life which amazes and inspires.

The project offers a variety of activities: theater, drama, dance, acrobatics, music, percussion, sports, painting and drawing, sculpture making, photography, journalism, graphic design and school kitchen. Furthermore, today it also offers vocational training including classes in marketing and various topics related to starting and running your own company. Examples of courses: hairdressing, IT, office management, gastronomy and cooking.

In addition, the buildings and the social spaces are aesthetically and colorfully decorated in an effort to create a safe space that represent hope and possibility.

Grieg Foundation has supported Children at Risk Foundation’s project in Brazil since 2008, and we are proud to be part of this journey.