Prevent Youth Involvement in Drug Trafficking

In November, we made a very special visit to our sister project Sinal do Vale. SINAL is an agroecological campus oustide Rio de Janeiro where several solutions of sustainability are prototyped.

Specialized in creating learning journeys for children and adults, the SINAL team prepared a special day for the children of the Julio Otoni Community Center, where we did a hike in the Atlantic Rainforest, learned about its biodiversity from a biologist, and did a healthy desserts workshop with their resident eco-chef!

The children had a chance to cool off in the pool, which was one of the highlights of the day. We also played treasure hunt in the organic garden and meditated in the bamboo forest. It was a fun day full of different experiences related to reconnecting to nature and discovering oneself.

Thank you to our donors who help us create unique experiences for the children of our community!

Every year around mid-june to mid-august in Brazil is arraial season – a period of festivities that celebrate Brazilian northeastern culture. Originally, the inhabitants of the country side would begin ceremonies for the upcoming planting season, praying for rain and a good harvest year with bonfires, music, games and typical dishes made of corn from that year’s harvest.

 Today, no whether you live in the countryside or the cities, arraial celebrations are hosted in schools, churches and neighborhoods across the country. Our community center was no exception and like every year, we gathered at Julio Otoni to host our very own arraial.

 We hung up traditional decorations, played quadrilha traditional music, had typical snacks and played games all afternoon! Check out some highlights of the Julio Otoni Arraial – a sincere thank you to our donors who help us keep our Community Center vibrant with the right dose of education and fun!