Project Report
| Aug 8, 2016
Julio Otoni, Soccer and the Olympic Torch
By Thais Corral | Project Manager
![Youth chosen to run torch]()
Youth chosen to run torch
July was an exciting month for the community center due to the coming of the Olympics to Rio. Sports fever has hit!
Specifically, the children are participating in the British Council's Premeir Skills program, which seeks to empower young people between the ages of 10-18 to improve their communities through soccer and citizenship classes. Over 200 boys and girls participate in the program and are trained to be leaders in the community. What is very special about the program in Rio is that both police officers and local favela youth play on teams together as an effort to reduce tension and conflict between the groups. Both the officers and the youth begin to see one another as friends rather than enemies. Beyond soccer, the young people involved in the program also work to improve trash and recycling systems and revitalize degraded areas in the community. They learn how to be more engaged citizens - both through sports and through the citizenship classes.
On July 30, the community celebrated the wonderful acheivement of 62 days with no gang violence. The community came together to acknowledge the peace and the impact of the program on the young people. It has provided real alternatives to drugs and gangs and the community can see it. Moreover, one of the young men from the area was chosen to run with the Olympic torch due to his athletic accomplishments in sports. The entire community was extremely proud and honored him with a ceremony, as shown in the attached photos.
![Celebrating]()
Celebrating
![62 days with no violence]()
62 days with no violence
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May 9, 2016
Celebrating our Tenth Anniversary
By Thais Corral | program leader
![Training footbal]()
Training footbal
In 2016 we celebrate our tenth anniversary. Children at Community Julio Otoni love their Center. For most of them is it a sort of refuge, a safe space where they can play, they are loved and respected. Child abuse in Favelas is a very common problem, a quick google search can show the many dimensions in which it occurs. " At Julio Otoni Center we feel safe. We can play. We feel also free to express ourselves without fear of being bitten or abused", says Mateus, a 9 year child that has been attending Julio Otoni Center since he was 6.
One of the innovations and good practices of the initiative carried at the Julio Otoni Center is that it is maintained by a combination of volunteers from outside the Favela and women that live in the Favela. They care for the future of children that in many cases would be left alone at home if the Center did not exist to host them. Eliana, for example, has served at Julio Otoni Center for the last 9 years. One of her grand children attends the Center activities and she feels proud of being able to contribute to the wellbeing of so many children at the Favela: "I feel that our contribution apparently small make a big different in the lives of the children and their families. Here they eat well, they play and they are exposed to good education tools".
Children at Julio Otoni have computer classes, football, English and after school support for the disciplines in which they do not do well. They have also art classes which have helped them to participate in international projects such as constellationart, which gathers art projects from all over the world. It is an on going thread of positive contributions and transformations that the maintenance of a simple house allows.! Gratitude for all that have contributed for the initiative to continue over the last ten years. May it continue. May we continue to benefit the children and families of Julio Otoni Community!
![Meeting the parents]()
Meeting the parents
![More football our preferred sport]()
More football our preferred sport
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Jan 11, 2016
Fwd: REPORT FOR PREVENTING
By Thais Corral | Project Leader
![DSCF0077 - Copie.JPG]()
DSCF0077 - Copie.JPG
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Title of the report: Happy Ending for 2015 at Julio Otoni
The spirit of a community can be present at certain favelas in Rio. At Julio Otoni this has been one of the goals over the years of the Julio Otoni Community Center which many donors have supported through Global Giving. The focus of the project are the 50 children which we engage in our after school programs but often we also create opportunities to benefit many more children and members of the community.
On December 18th we organized a Christmas party for the whole Julio Otoni Favela. Children which attended the permanent programs at Julio Otoni helped creating the activities for the event. There were games, food, gifts offered to the other members of the community. Indeed a healthy and auspicious atmosphere in the spirit of the culture our center wants to propagate in every member of the community: be responsible for its own change.
Thais CorrCoordenadora REDEH - CEMINA
Rua Alvaro Alvim, 21/16 andarcr
Rio de Janeiro - 20031-010
Brasil
cel:
+5521-81112108voip:
+5521-34353383skype: thaiscorral
--
Thais Corral
Coordenadora REDEH - CEMINA
Rua Alvaro Alvim, 21/16 andar
Rio de Janeiro - 20031-010
Brasil
cel: +5521-81112108
voip:
+5521-35218608skype: thaiscorral
--
Thais Corral
Coordenadora REDEH - CEMINA
Rua Alvaro Alvim, 21/16 andar
Rio de Janeiro - 20031-010
Brasil
cel: +5521-81112108
voip: +5521-35218608
skype: thaiscorral
![DSCF0087 - Copie.JPG]()
DSCF0087 - Copie.JPG
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