Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

The centre works with local families, schools and government institutions to bring about long term, sustainable community development, improved education and awareness, and real opportunities for the youth from this marginalized community

Project Message

Discovered that I too am part of the community, we all are. I am very important here and with Roda Viva here we will overcome.
- Aldineia de Oliveira Franca De Souza, Former project participant & current coordinator

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Christine Clauser,
Director of Development - Dreams Can Be Foundation
945 Menoher Blvd
Johnstown, PA 15905
United States
8142554379
Email:

Project Sponsor

Dreams Can Be Foundation/Dreams Brasil

Organization

Learn more about Dreams Can Be Foundation and the project team.

Dreams Can Be Foundation's Current Projects on GlobalGiving

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See all 14 projects

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in Brazil and can also be found under Education.

For more information about Brazil, read the Human Development Report on Brazil or the Wikipedia entry for Brazil.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on August 07, 2008.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on August 24, 2006.

Latest Update from the Field

Project Update August 2008

By Leticia Martins - Development Coordinator, Dreams Can Be Foundation, August 07, 2008 05:59 PM

This update was translated by staff and volunteers of Dreams Can Be Foundation
August, 2008
1544 Cultural Heritage Preservation Saves Kids Lives
Hello the NGO “Escola Pernambucana de Circo” immensely thanks the contribution of all the donors that have helped and we would like to say that the project in the Square continues with its work, helping the 200 people of the community of the Village of the Buiriti and surrounding areas of the north zone of Recife, a city in the northeast of Brazil, and that in this year we were able to extend our services because of the inauguration of our new headquarters that became the “Circus of Youth Center” with a lot of activities for Brazilian children and youth in social risk.
With the new headquarters we were able to extend the attendance to the community by 50%, developing artistic and playful activities that run all week and into the weekend as well, with shows that in such a way give the access to the good cultural messages for the youth and kids served and for their families too. However, the demand of families searching to sign up their children into the programs activities is great, unfortunately we cannot attend all these people now because we don’t have enough teachers to give a quality of service, since the resources are scarce to pay the salaries including the administrative and pedagogical team.
In 2007 we put up a good sized performance in the artistic and cultural market of the city, because of this we were able raise enough money to insert about 10 youth in activities of recreation and leisure extending their income generation and the support of their families.
Felipe, one of the youth of the EPC, arrived in the institution when he was 14 years old with extreme difficulty of integration and with low self-esteem, today he is one of the educators of the EPC, giving workshops also outside the city of Recife, beyond being the mentor of new troop inside the EPC called “Aqua Loucos” , he the leader of the group and instructor of circus performances.
With the inauguration of the new headquarters we found out how important and well evaluated the institution is by the community and the importance for the region in terms of the alternatives to education that our children receive here. The support of the families and the community during the process of construction of the headquarters showed us that the work bears fruit and the changing the face of the community, becoming in an example of a good practical education. Beyond this perception of the institution in the community we can also perceive the visibility that the institution reached in the city of Recife being a reference of social circus, of artistic work with youth on the periphery of the city.
The objective of the project is to invest in the potential of these youth to reaffirm for the youth that there are no boundaries to hold them back, that to believe on their dreams and to persist in them are valid! These actions reaffirm that, even in a community, with all its difficulties, another life is possible, and its possible being constructed for these capable and conscientious youth because of their potentials, capacities and power of changing, not only their lives, but primordially their families, communities, city and country. This year with the inauguration of the new headquarters we wait to be able to fortify even more the income generation and jobs for the adolescents and youth of the project proving the potential of the art generating job opportunities.
“If the things are not reachable however… this is not a reason not to want them. And saying that the way is not the distant presence of the stars. ” Mário Quintana.
We believe that this verse discloses our objective to continue believing that we are in the certain way in the construction of a world more fare and equal through the art education, more specifically of the social circus. Therefore we thank your contribution and, mainly your confidence in our work, we consider you a partner of our project, our institution. Please continue your support, making donations through the Global Giving.

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