Prevent Youth Involvement in Drug Trafficking

Julio Otoni community Center exist since 2006.  Hundreds of Children of the community have been benefitted by having this place as their home. There they play, they sing, they learn, they dance. The main resource on which the project counts are the volunteers. They can contribute at the center for a minimun of two week and a maximun of months or even years.  During the last 4  years Julio Otoni became the main social responsibility project of a hostel, Casa579, www.casa579.com. The founder of Casa 579 was one of the first volunteers at Julio Otoni Community Center. Today, Casa 579 hosts foreign volunteers that will work at Julio Otoni. They also help coordinate the work of these volunteers.  Besides offering to the children classes, the volunteers also promote special fundraisers, campaigns in the community , festivals.

The last festival took place last July, during the winter holiday, the volunteers organize with JO children “Jobatucanto,” as the group is affectionately known, is an amalgamation of the words “Jo” – for “Julio Otoni,” “batu”, for “batucada,” a sub-style of samba that includes African-influenced percussion, and “canto,” referring to the vocal aspect of the group. The group was formed in October 2011 when Profesora Vânia from Minas Gerais first started volunteering at the center. The kids learned Brazilian and African rhythms until Profesora Natalia, from Argentina, joined in July 2012 and expanded their repertoire. Jobatucanto did the music for Cinderella, the kids’ musical theater performance earlier this year. The show  featured songs from Brazil, Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay. It was a wonderful dive for children into our Latin America Soul.  

Links:

• become JO friend on facebook