Help sheltered adolescents to live a worthy life

Dear donor,

With enthusiasm, we would like to share the latest updates that have occurred within the nÓs Group since the last newsletter we sent to you.

It was a period of many cultural and artistic activities that emphasized various cultural expressions and collectives - in addition to encouraging and valuing the critical thinking of the adolescents served by the nÓs Group.

In June, we welcomed 23 new adolescents who agreed to be part of the program and have already started their journey with us. Currently, we have 65 young people participating in our activities.

In the months of June and July, we carried out two initiatives with the Quilombaque Cultural Community, located in the Perus region of São Paulo. Quilombaque is an important partner of ours and defines itself as a political, ethnic, and cultural movement guided by drums, with 15 years of great struggle and resistance. Through this partnership, we organized the Memory Trail with the young people from the nÓs Group, during which, with the support of a guide, we explored important spaces for the community, such as the library, hip-hop house, and the former cement factory. This trail allowed us to learn more about the Queixadas Movement, which is characterized as a movement for the Reappropriation of the Perus Cement Factory, considered the longest strike in Brazil from 1962 to 1969. More information at: [link].

https://cmqueixadas.com.br/coletivos-de-perus-se-unem-para-relembrar-60-anos-da-luta-queixada/

Continuing with the experiences at the Quilombaque space, we proudly hosted our first Literary Festival of the nÓs Group! This event was a partnership with the "Fazendo Minha História" Program – another program of the "Instituto Fazendo História," aimed at working on life stories through the creation of albums and reading mediation. It was a very joyful and inspiring day in which we were able to celebrate popular culture through literature, traditional foods, games, and a jongo workshop.

In August, we also had the hosting and welcome soirée for the new adolescents of the nÓs Group. We were joined by artists from the Marginaliaria collective, represented by Andrio, Aliado (from Criminal Rap), Luan Marginal, and Mari Grafiteira. It was a morning filled with creativity and a spotlight on the power of youth.

This time, we will tell the story of V., who is 16 years old and joined the nÓs Group when she was 14. The young girl demonstrated a strong personality and a keen desire to learn, enthusiastically participating in activities. Her infectious behavior contributes to the development and interaction of the whole group. She is conscientious, honest, and determined. A young woman who enriches our gatherings with her words and actions. Currently, her day is filled with commitments. She enjoys taking care of her health, attends weekly psychotherapy sessions, goes to the gym, works, and studies in the evening. She likes dancing and using social media. She is in the first year of high school and takes pride in her performance. She works as an apprentice at a home decor and construction materials store. Until last year, she dreamt of becoming a doctor, but currently, she's considering studying Law at college, although she is open to exploring new professions. She plans to take preparatory courses to prepare for college entrance exams.

We thank you for your support once again. We continue to face our challenges and opportunities so that the adolescents and young people who need it the most can discover their potential for an independent, dignified, and happier life.

Fazendo Historia Team

• the Reappropriation of the Perus Cement Factory (PDF)
  
• Welcome soiree for the new adolescents (PDF)
  
• Literature, traditional foods, games, and a jongo (PDF)
  

Dear Donor,

We bring you news about the activities carried out in the last few months of the project you have supported. Keeping track of what we have been doing is important for you to see how your support and collaboration has contributed in practice to the development of young people in vulnerable situations.

In February, the technical team of the Nós Group participated in a meeting with prosecutors and judges from the Juvenile Court about the assistance to young people in República Jovem, strengthening our collaboration with the network and these services.

With the adolescent group, we organized visits about culture and art in São Paulo. They visited the Favela Museums and MASP (São Paulo Art Museum) and also participated in the Bronx Slam, in the southern part of the city, where some of them participated as judges in a poetry contest.

These cultural activities are fundamental in the process of developing the autonomy of young people, because they allow to know the city spaces better, making them feel like they belong and more confident and more confident when circulating in it. The activities also promote the recognition of art as a form of manifestation and expression of life (individual and collective), giving them the opportunity to express their interests and main characters.

Currently, we have 45 adolescents participating in the biweekly groups and 30 adolescents in individual accompaniment. In June, we will have 20 more participants between 14 and 15 years old.

We counted on the collaboration of the team from another program of the Instituto Fazendo História, called 'Making My History', to hold a playful and immersive meeting with the professionals of the shelters.

On this day, we talked about the work with life stories through games that refer to the stories of each one of the participants. It was a very exciting moment.

In this report, we share  a little bit the story of v., a young woman, now 18 years old, who is in her last year of participation in the nÓs Group. She is a very organized and focused young woman.

At school, she shows a lot of effort in her classes and does her group work with commitment. She considers learning a great challenge, which sometimes leads to anxiety and doubts about her success. She has her interests and personality very well defined, since she joined the Nós Group. She has a specific professional focus and has designed the steps to achieve: she dreams of becoming a veterinarian. V. was adopted at 17 and is strengthening her ties with her adoptive mother. She created an instagram page in which she shares her daily experiences and reflections about her adoption.

Hope you enjoy the news!

Kind wishes, 

Instituto Fazendo História Team.