Young EcoLeaders of the Brazilian Rainforest

Hello environmental friends,

We are pleased to announce that our environmental educators have been chosen, who will welcome our young eco-leaders and schools throughout the year.

Combining their experiences and knowledge about the environment and when it comes to leadership among young people, we hope that our educators will continue to strengthen the participation of the younger community in the preservation of the natural heritage that we have here in Brazil and abroad.

And this month they already been to a few schools to talk to the kids during the Enviromental Week (May, 31 – June, 5) to raise awareness to the cause, as you can see the photos below!

Both will act as the coordinators for the program, expanding the search for students and schools interested in environmental education!

And that also goes for partnerships with organizations abroad!

So, if you know a teacher, a professional for Education or even someone who is curious about the environment and wants to experience the day-to-day life inside the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, let us know!

With warm hugs from the rainforest.

PS: We’re proud to announce that we’re a World Rainforest Day partner alongside so many other impact-driven organizations showing up for rainforests! Check the event in our social media on July, 22 and participate with us!

Hello there fellow environmentalists!!

Here in the rainforest we have some exciting news that we want to tell you guys - we’ve been holding back for a while but now it’s time for us to tell you all about it! 

In Brazil the schools are now  back and so are the classes, and since our online courses are over for now, we’ve been searching for a new teacher and we’ve been testing out potential candidates! 

They had to present a class to a group of kids about ecology and the water cycle – and we asked them to be as imaginative as they could be. Of course the children themselves will be asked to do a secret vote on how they enjoyed each class.  

So by the time you get our next letter, we should be able to present you to our new team member. How exciting is that?! 

Lots of love from the Iracambi team!

Good morning, dear donors!  

If you ever wonder what happens to the young people who pass through our program, today we have a quick vignette from the field, to show you just one of the hundreds of examples of students who had their first taste of science at Iracambi, and are successfully pursuing their careers in differing fields. 

This is Valdinei. He comes from thej small village of Belisario, and he was one of those kids with big ambitions. He wanted to find a vocation that would make him feel like he was contributing towards the good of society. He wanted to get married and raise a family. He wanted more.

Valdinei was always curious. He once told us that the reason he never missed a class at Iracambi was because we told him that scientists always ask questions. (And he added that he well remembered his parents, in exasperation, begging his four year old self to stop bothering them with so many questions!)

Does that sound familiar?

Valdinei was a regular at our classes, and he also took every opportunity to come over during his free time and ask even more questions. 

A few months ago we were in the local hospital for some minor emergency when a masked figure in scrubs came running up to us. 

"Don't you recognize me?" he demanded. "I'm Valdinei!"

"And I want to send love to everyone at Iracambi, and tell them how fondly I remember the old days with you all in the forest. I'll never forget how much I used to look forward to coming to Iracambi."

These days Valdinei is a nurse. He recently married, and lives near the hospital in the nearest town, around forty five kilometers from Iracambi. 

Thanks to your support, dear readers, Valdinei is well on his way to acheiving his ambitions. 

And he is still asking questions! 

We thought you'd like to know. 

with love and appreciation from the Iracambi educators. 

Hello there, dear environmentalists’ friends!

We have exciting news for you: Iracambi is on the short list of the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA), an organization that promotes the protection, conservation and restoration of threatened wild landscapes and habitats.

There are only 5 projects running for this category and if we are one of the most voted projects, we will receive financial support from EOCA to continue with our reforestation work which will allow the rainforests on the region of Serra do Brigadeiro State Park -home to one of the largest populations of endangered Woolly Spider Monkey - to be maintained and will hopefully increase the presence of the species in the region.

But we only have less than ONE WEEK LEFT to vote for the project!

And it’s quite easy to help us: all you have to do is select the "Vote Now" button in the project "The Woolly Spider Monkey Forest, Brazil" and click on "Cast Your Vote"!

Ta-daaaam, your vote will be computed and you can also share the link with your friends, asking them to also vote for us!

Check the link: www.eocaconservation.org/project-voting-category.cfm?catid=5

PS: We count on you to help us by voting!

Dear environmentalist friends!

As you all can see, we’ve been recharging our batteries for a while, so we can start the academic year on top form with with our online classes – and now with the visits of the guardians of the forest, also known as the kids!

We have so much prepared for this year and we’re beginning with them, the leaders of tomorrow, aiming to inspire them at a young age through teaching and showing the value of nature - not just for its beauty, but for the opportunities it can bring – so they can help us campaign for its protection.

And is there a better way to engage them than involving them in an Easter Egg hunt? Seeing how happy they were, we guess not!

Once the children return home, many of them talk to their families, sharing what they have learnt, and passing the word to other people, – so that ever more people will become aware of the importance of saving the environment!

Through these experiences we ae planting the seeds of awareness at an early age. But our job is to nurture them as the children grow, and raise a new generation that can spread awareness and education on the benefits of protecting the rainforest.

So, we just want to say a big THANK YOU for being part of it. We hope that you feel inspired, just as our kids were seeing the wonders of nature!

With shining eyes, Eduardo, Juliana and the Iracambi team!