"Pink Bags" scholarships for young girls

Around the world, millions of children and adolescents grow up surrounded by poverty, social exclusion, and a lack of opportunities. In Brazil, these inequalities are particularly evident in urban outskirts, where many young people live in extreme vulnerability, often deprived of their right to education, healthcare, and a dignified life.

Santo Amaro, a district in the southern part of São Paulo, is one such place. Here, domestic violence, substance abuse, and family instability create a difficult environment for children and teenagers—especially for girls, who are at greater risk of dropping out of school and repeating cycles of poverty and marginalization.

In response, the Casa dos Sonhos Association, with the support of Mission Bambini, some years ago launched the Pink Scholarship Project (Bolsa Rosa)—a concrete initiative designed to restore dignity, self-esteem, and a sense of future to girls living in conditions of social risk.

The project provides educational support, vocational training, and psychosocial assistance, helping young participants build paths toward autonomy and self-realization. Through training activities and personal care kits, the girls develop greater self-awareness and confidence. At the same time, the welcoming and safe environment of Casa dos Sonhos allows them to rediscover the value of respect, empathy, and cooperation.

One of the most inspiring examples of transformation is Marciele, a 14-year-old girl currently attending the 6th grade of elementary school. She joined the project in 2025, coming from a very challenging family situation: her mother struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and is unable to properly care for her children. The family first came into contact with Casa dos Sonhos through the Health Week initiative, organized since 2020 by the University of Santo Amaro (UNISA), which offers free medical assistance to the local community.

When Marciele first arrived at Casa dos Sonhos, she was shy and withdrawn, struggling to interact with her peers. Over time, her daily participation in educational activities helped her regain her self-worth and rediscover joy in learning and playing. Today, she is a confident and engaged young girl—active in group work, expressive, and collaborative. She even learned to enjoy playtime again, something she once refused, often saying: “I don’t like to play, auntie.”

Marciele’s journey shows how the project has not only supported her education but also contributed to her emotional and personal growth. Despite continuing to face poverty and family difficulties, she now has dreams, hope, and a stronger sense of purpose.

Marciele’s Testimony

“I live in a situation of great poverty, and the Pink Scholarship Project gave me the support I needed to stay in school. I wasn’t attending classes because I didn’t have clothes or shoes to wear. I used a friend’s backpack to carry my notebook, and I felt very ashamed.
The principal didn’t understand my situation and kept asking me to wear sneakers and long pants, often scolding me in front of my classmates.
It’s still hard for me to go to school every day because my mother sometimes forces me to go out and beg on the streets. When I don’t, I have to stay home to take care of my younger siblings.
Pink Scholarship is the only support I have to continue studying and the only place where I am treated well—with respect and affection.”

This testimony shows that the Pink Scholarship Project is not just about providing material help—it is about creating a safe and supportive space where girls can feel valued and regain their sense of dignity.

The project’s ultimate goal is to create lasting change, not only for the girls but also for their families and communities. By promoting education, autonomy, and awareness of children’s rights, Pink Scholarship helps build a new generation of strong, educated, and resilient young women—capable of breaking the cycle of poverty and violence.

Around the world, millions of girls are denied their right to education—not by lack of will or talent, but because of the road that separates them from the classroom. In the rural villages of Markapur and Bollapalli, India, this road can be as long as two or three kilometers, traveled daily on foot through dusty paths, dangerous areas, and extreme weather conditions.

For the girls of these communities, this journey is not just tiring—it’s unsafe. Long walks expose them to physical risks, harassment, and the daily fear of not arriving at school, or worse, of not returning home. These girls, many of whom are recipients of Mission Bambini’s “Pink Bags” scholarships, represent a generation determined to break the cycle of poverty. But the distance between home and school often stands in the way.

That’s why Mission Bambini launched a dedicated initiative to provide bicycles to girls in the Pink Bags project—a simple but powerful tool to help them reclaim their right to education and safety.

“Every morning I woke up early and walked over an hour to get to school. Often I hadn’t eaten, and I arrived so tired I couldn’t concentrate. Then one day, someone gave me a bicycle. Everything changed.”
— Rami, 13 years old

Since receiving her bicycle, Rami reaches school on time, has more energy to study, and dreams of becoming a teacher. She is one of many girls now pedaling toward a brighter future—faster, safer, and more confident.

How a Bicycle Changes a Girl’s Life

For the girls of the Pink Bags project, a bicycle is more than a vehicle—it’s a symbol of freedom and possibility. These girls, selected based on vulnerability and commitment to education, already benefit from scholarships covering school fees, supplies, and personal care needs. The addition of a bicycle means:

• Safety – Less exposure to physical risks, harassment, and dangerous environments.
• Time – More hours for study, rest, and play.
• Empowerment – Greater confidence and autonomy, both physically and mentally.
• Continuity – Reduced absenteeism and increased school retention.

The impact goes beyond the girls themselves. Families feel reassured. Communities see the value of investing in girls’ education. And the girls—once burdened by the long walk to school—can now focus on their dreams.

The Bigger Picture

The bicycle initiative strengthens the broader mission of the Pink Bags project, which supports adolescent girls in fragile contexts by offering:

• Access to quality education
• Vocational training opportunities
• Psychosocial and emotional support
• A community of care and solidarity

In places like Markapur and Bollapalli, where poverty, migration, and gender inequality are everyday realities, investing in girls is the most powerful way to build a better future.

The school is more than a place of learning—it is a refuge, a launchpad, a second home. And now, thanks to this initiative, more girls will be able to reach it.