Volunteer in Brazil – Archive
A Bicycle Made for Two
Shiny and sleek, this vintage tandem served for a number of years as Joe’s preferred mount in ViBs annual fundraising Cycle Marathon. Now retired we decided to offer it for sale and raise some cash to support the young people with their agricultural projects out in Northern Brazil. Mary and David dusted off the cobwebs, spruced it up and advertised it. We are pleased to report that it has now moved to the south and has a proud new owner.
Fire at the Agricultural College
We received this shocking video coverage. The fire destroyed fencing and trees at the College but thankfully no one was hurt and all the animals were rescued and taken to safety.
Thanks to all Our Supporters
Micro projects: We are delighted to report that we are supporting 9 micro projects in five different municipal areas in the region of Cristino Castro, NE Brazil. They range from organic vegetable production, handicrafts, fish farms, cattle, pig, sheep and chicken rearing projects. VinB micro loans are provided by individuals and communities in the UK, they are interest free and recycled many times over. To date they are proofing to provide a virtuous circle to all involved. Our sincere thanks go to our coordinator in Brazil, Jose Oliveira, for his expertise and dedication and for all your support throughout the year.
Thanks to all Our Supporters
Experiential Learning: At Lee House the trustees continue to run experiential learning days for young people receiving highly positive responses from participating schools and groups.
What would it be like to survive on $1 a day
That was what the children and families attending St Bartholomew’s, Chipping Messy Church were able to experience on Saturday afternoon. Teaming up with local charity Volunteer in Brazil the children swapped the usual craft, singing and worship of a typical Messy Church for shelter building, making water filters and cooking pancakes on an open fire. This was all part of the “Favela Experience” held at Lee House, Thornley which enables children and adults to better understand the difficulties faced by families in Brazil as they migrate from a life of poverty in the north of the country in search of a better life in large cities like Rio. During the afternoon the children and families were encouraged to act out the story of trying to build and set up new homes and communities, struggling with lack of money, being evicted from their property and trying to fight to remain in their homes through the court system. The experience ended with a short act of worship around the campfire, with prayers for those living in hardship around the world and donations were given towards the work of the charity. The afternoon was one of hundreds of Crossroads Mission events throughout Blackburn Diocese this weekend.
Favella Brass on the BBC
They say that lightening doesn’t strike twice but Favela Brass has featured twice on the BBC within the space of three days.
The first was playing own samba version of “Chariots of Fire right at the end of BBC One’s primetime program “Countdown to Rio”, which ran from 8:30pm to 10pm, before the opening ceremony of the Olympics:
It’s an amazing moment for the project and we’re all incredibly happy that the Olympics really did provide us with opportunity that we were all hoping for in terms of spreading the word about our project.
The task now is to find a way to convert all of this fantastic publicity into music lessons for our kids.
The Restoration Gang
Painting the Fence
How do you Balance and Paint Straight Lines?
The New Centre
Vivace Strings
Professional double bass player and Doncaster Youth Jazz Association alumnus Alison Hawthorn now runs Vivace Strings, a youth orchestra, as part of Solihull Music Service. Just before Christmas Alison organized a public concert and a cake sale with staff and parents to raise money for Favela Brass.
The events not only raised £230, but also yielded a donation of a trumpet to the project from Solihull Music Service!
Favella Brass
Our success as a project is totally dependent on acts of kindness such as these. All of the shows, recordings and parades only become possible if the children are receiving the tuition necessary to learn to play their instruments, which in turn requires funding: with funding we can buy in local professional teachers to cover the gaps that we can’t meet with our volunteer staff, and with funding we can also attract more volunteer teachers by offering them a better deal in terms of help with accommodation and living costs.
Agricultural College in Cristino Castro
The Agricultural College in Cristino Castro continues to serve local communities.
Fernanda, the college director, and Miguel, a long-standing friend and partner of Volunteer in Brazil, are both dedicated to enabling the Agricultural College in Cristino Castro to serve young farmers and their families in the wider region of Cristino.
For decades families have left their small farms in the countryside and migrated to the big cities of Brazil because making a living on the land in the semi-arid region is extremely difficult.
Agricultural College in Cristino Castro
The Agricultural College works with young farmers and their families to enable them to adapt and flourish in the environment and eco systems where they live.
Volunteer in Brazil has supported the College for many years and hopes to continue to support the vital services providing by the College for many years to come.
Walking a Mile
A group of CAFOD Ambassadors ‘walked a mile’ in the shoes of an indigenous community ejected from their land by a logging company.
Volunteer inBrazil trustees and supporters organised a simulation activity for CAFOD Ambassadors at Lee House. The simulation was based on the experience of indigenous communities living in the Amazon who face expulsion from their ancestral homelands by logging companies and land grabbers.
The simulation began with living the daily routines of the community, collecting fire wood, fetching water, making herbal medicine and shelters as well as entering into the ethos of a greater sense of connected-ness with all living beings.
The tranquility of oneness with nature was broken by the arrival of a logging company with documents that laid claim to vast areas of the forest. The felling of trees began as the community was ejected from the land. Imprisonment followed in the cold, dark cellar of the house. From the prison cell the community was marched to a court room where they defended their right to live in the disputed area of the rain forest.
Indigenous Leaders from Brazil visit Lee House
Davi Yanomami Kopenawa is President and Founder of CAFOD’s indigenous partner, Hutukara Yanomami Association (HAY), which was set up in 2004 in the state of Roraima, in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Hutukara has been a CAFOD partner since 2007 and works to protect Yanomami and Ye’kuana indigenous rights to land, health, bi-lingual education and cultural preservation through campaigning, lobbying and community mobilisation activities.
Davi is a world-renowned indigenous leader, and has won numerous national and international awards, for his efforts to protect the Yanomami and Ye’kuana people and the Amazon rainforest, including the UN Global 500 award for his contribution to the battle for environmental preservation.
Today Davi lives in his community Watoriki, (‘The Mountain of the Wind’), on the watershed of the Amazon and Orinoco rainforests. Despite Yanomami territory being legally demarcated in the state of Roraima, northern Brazil, in 1982, land invasions continue, such as illegal gold-miners and farmers, and communities are increasingly feeling the impacts of climate change, which are affecting their health, food security and environment.
Indigenous Leaders from Brazil visit Lee House
Mauricio Tomé Rocha, known as Maurício Ye’kuana, is a 29 year old Ye’kuana Brazilian indigenous leader and activist. His community lives on the banks of a river also called Auaris, in the north west of the state of Roraima, Brazil.
Three Little Pigs
You may remember that a few months ago the VinB trustees approved a micro loan for Maicon, a student at the Agricultural College in Cristino Castro, to start a small pig rearing venture.
The project is well underway. Maicon’s has constructed a pig sty, purchased his pigs and the pigs are now pregnant.
Maicon is expecting a litter of pigs to take his project to the next level.
It is always heart warming to see young people like Maicon who are really focused on living and working in their rural community rather than migrating to the big and overcrowded cities of Brazil.
Well done Maicon, we look forward to seeing the little ones in due course!
Grant Approval
The trustees agree a grant to install a water tank at the Agricultural College in Cristino Castro.
Volunteer in Brazil has been working with the Agricultural College in Cristino Castro for several years now. Gabrial Davies, Martin Vittek and Martina Balazova (VinB volunteers) all taught English at the College. Martin was instrumental in helping to set VinB’s micro loan programme that supports a number of agricultural students from the college in setting up income generation projects with their families.
The college provides a secondary education that is rooted in the lives of young people who live and work on the land. The learning that takes place is relevant and appropriate to the needs of young people who want to apply their knowledge and understanding to helping to develop their family farms. Students spend 15 days studying and boarding at the college followed by 15 days back on the farm applying their knowledge.
The College was in need of a secondary water tank to store water for irrigation purposes. The college produces all the vegetable required to feed the students as well as producing a surplus to generate an income for college funds.
The trustees were very happy to support the college with the great work that it is doing supporting young people in the region.
In turn the trustees would like to thank the generous support that local schools and individuals in the UK are providing to make this possible.
Making a Difference!
Children from St Wilfrid’s in Longridge present Volunteer in Brazil with a cheque for £800
Following a day at Lee House where the children explored issues of justice the community at St Wilfrid’s set about raising money for Volunteer in Brazil’s micro loan project.
An amazing sum of £800 was raised. The money will be used to support a family in the region of Cristino Castro to invest in their small fish farm.
The family will repay the interest free loan within a period of two years. The money will then be made available for other families to invest in other income generating projects.
On behalf of families and communities in the region of Cristino Castro I would like to thank the whole school community for their generosity and support.
New Micro Loan Applications
The Women’s Cooperative in Cristino Castro has applied for a micro loan.
In the 1990’s Rosalba was one of the founding members of the Rural Women’s Group in Cristino Castro. In November 2013 Rosalba and I returned to Cristino and caught up with the group which has now formed itself into a cooperative making crafts to generate additional incomes for their families.
The group has recently applied for a small loan to enable them to purchase more materials.
The trustees will consider their application at their next meeting in April.
Rosalba is delighted that the group is still serving the needs of rural women.
With your support we could help more communities like the Women’s Cooperative.
Maicon's Project is Approved
Maicon Mendes de Carvalho, who lives in Vale do Gurgueia, 45km’s from Cristino Castro, has a plan to rear pigs to generate an extra income for his family.
Maicon is a young farmer studying at his local Agricultural College. Like many young farmers in the region he wants to continue farming despite the harsh climatic conditions. With the support of Oliveira, our local Agronomist and coordinator of VinB’s micro loan project, Maicon submitted a funding application to enable him to start rearing pigs.
The trustees met last week and approved his application. Oliveira will now work along side Maicon is establishing a small scale pig rearing project.
Maicon will also receive support from Technicians and Vets connected to the Agricultural College in Cristino Castro.
We look forward to receiving news about the project and we wish Maicon and his family every success.
In two year time Maicon will repay the loan (interest free) and the money will be recycled to support another family.
If you would like to help VinB in our support of people like Maicon then please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Worst Drought for 50 Years
The north east of Brazil is experiencing one of the worst droughts for 50 years
One of our great friends and beneficiary of VinB’s micro loan programme is Miguel Lopes Mendes. Miguel is doing all that he can to try to keep his crops and cattle alive as Cristino Castro, like many places in the state of Piaui, is enduring another serious drought.
Miguel takes stock of the fields around Boa Esperanca where he farms.
His fields should be green and vibrant with life at this time of year but low rainfall has resulted in limited and weak growth.
Miguel and his family have struggled through many poor rainy seasons but many farmers have had enough and have left the land looking for work wherever they can find it.
Lets hope that in the final couple of months of the rainy season the rains will bring life to this barren land!
A Fish Farming Pioneer
Learning through experience and technical support.
Antonio Neto (seen here with his family, VinB trustees and friends from Manchester & Slovakia) is a fish farming pioneer in the region of Cristino Castro.
Antonio took a big risk and invested what he had in a bore well and fish pond.
Since his initial investment over seven years ago Antonio says that he has learned a great deal and if he were to start a again he would go about things very differently. Antonio took the opportunity to go on a fish breeding course delivered at the local Agricultural College: “Now I know how to improve production” say Antonio and he has asked VinB to provide him with a micro loan to make those improvements.
Fish farming provides a vital source of income and nutrition for local people.
We will keep you posted on developments.
Review 2013
On Wednesday 08 Jan the trustees met to review the work of VinB over the last 12 months.
The trustees were very happy with how the micro loan project is developing. In 2013 the project enabled six families to invest in their farms and generate addition family incomes. Over the course of 2014 we hope to support more families. Oliveira, a local Brazilian and Agronomist, has now taken over the coordination of the projects as Martin has now returned to his homeland in Slovakia. Schools in the UK are engaging with the projects and greater understanding of the challenges faced by people living in semi arid conditions is being developed.
Review 2013
Our four volunteers, Martin and Martina from Slovakia and Dave and Shelagh from the UK have done some great work with communities in Rio and Cristino Castro. Building on the strengths of the work our international volunteers have done over the years we are now moving towards supporting more Brazilian volunteers to engage in their communities.
Review 2013
During 2013 VinB worked with over 500 young people from across the Northwest of England, engaging participants in inter-active development education activities. Evaluations were very positive and requests from schools are already coming for 2014.
VinB is very grateful for all the support that we have received from organisations like CAFOD, Assumption Lay Volunteer Programme, volunteers, schools and individual donors.
We are looking forward to the joys and challenges of 2014.
The Feel Good Factor of True Partnership
See Similde(red top) and Fabiana(purple top) in the opening shot selling their produce. They used a VinB micro loan to install a mechanical irrigation system, and when Joe visited them, during his stay in Cristino, they were full of praise for the partnership and full of ideas for future development.
A Gift from Longridge High
Young people at Longridge High have been supporting Neto and his family in Cristino Castro with a micro loan to build chicken sheds and rear chickens. When they heard that Rosalba and I (Joe) were going to Cristino on a project visit in November they seized the moment to send Christmas gifts. The spirit of Christmas has arrived early in Longridge!
Great Start with a VinB Micro Loan
As you can see brothers Valdglan and Valdgley have wasted no time in using their VinB loan to get their chicken rearing unit up and running. Martin ( VinB loan co-ordinator) visited them recently and it is good to know that the brothers are getting support from the local agricultural college and have set a high standard for the welfare of their chickens.
It’s wonderful to see our young entrepreneurs with smiles on their faces!!
Storms in Cristino
Storms brought havoc to Cristino in N.E. Brazil earlier this week. Causing damage to VinB’s volunteer accommodation and agricultural building.
A stark reminder of the weather extremes that farmer’s battle with.
Much more than green shoots
It’s always a delight to catch up and experience again the warmth and enthusiasm of Fabiana and Similde. Join them as they walk us round their impeccable market garden and discuss their ideas for further development.
A few months ago they used a VinB micro loan to install a mechanical irrigation system on their market garden,which enabled them to increase production and improve the standard of living for themselves and their two young daughters.
If making a difference to families in this way appeals then you can learn more about how the micro loan system works, and contact us if you wish to get involved.
If you watch nothing else…..watch this!
Get ready to be charmed, heart warmed and uplifted by a charity advert that is so different.
An amazing video because it allows Kenya the opportunity to be proud; full of excitement, colour, and promise and all communicated through the joy of a little boy.
So refreshing and yet so powerful because we are challenged by knowing that the odds of him surviving to become a Maasai warrior are stacked against him through the structures and systems that cause and perpetuate water insecurity.
Thank you to Water is Life for making the video.
Changing Lives the VinB Way
The latest micro loan project update arrived in the VinB office this week. This always causes a great deal of excitement as staff are keen to follow the progress of the smallholders that are fast becoming part of our family.
… some projects are running smoother than others; some are faster and others slower. We have to treat each case individually. Although there are some delays at some projects, we have to understand that nothing is quick in Brazil! We have to be patient and encourage the recipients to do their maximum to repay a loan on an agreed date. In my opinion, the micro financing is definitely changing the lives of local people!
Martin
Smallholders that we are supporting:
Miguel used his loan to purchase a small herd of cattle. Despite the setback of a grass fire last year, Martin reports that Miguel is confident that he will repay the loan in January, 2014.
Similde and Fabiana used the loan to install a mechanical irrigation system on their vegetable plot; greatly improving productivity. They told Martin that one of the advantages is that they now have more time to do things with their two young daughters!
Neto, an experienced chicken farmer used his loan to create a purpose built chicken rearing unit closer to the family home.
Raul is using his loan to extend his chicken rearing unit. The increased income is vital to paying to support his two sons at university!
Brothers Valdglan and Valdgley and fellow student Denis from the local Agricultural College are using their loans to develop chicken rearing units as part of their college studies.
Find out more about how VinB operates the micro loan scheme in North East Brazil.
It Gladdens the Heart
Its wonderful to see that Similde and Fabiana have lost no time in using their micro loan to get their irrigation system up and going.
Children from St Mary’s school in Chipping have lent a helping hand with a micro loan and are busy growing their own vegetables and learning, through the contact with Similde and Fabiana, about the challenges of gardening in a very different climate!
I was wowed by the incredibly neat beds with not a weed in sight.
Denis is ready to go….
Currently studying at the Agricultural College, Denis is the first student to receive a Micro Finance Loan. Here a rather nervous Denis talks with Martin, our Coordinator, about himself and how he will use the loan.
Micro Loans Making a Difference
Neto is making great progress with the construction of his chicken shed, that will enable him to extend his flock and increase egg production on the farm. He had raised most of the finance himself and just needed a helping hand to finish it off. That’s were the students from Longridge High School came into the story. Inspired by the plight of farmers in North East Brazil and wanting to help they did some fund raising to support Neto and his family. Here he talks with Martin about his strategy for making the shed last.
A Helping Hand for Edilma and Raul
Lending a helping hand with a micro loan to farming families, who are struggling with drought and rising living costs to stay on the land, is a practical way of expressing our solidarity.
This week Martin, our volunteer who supports these families has been to meet Raul and Edilma who are about to receive a loan to extend their chicken rearing unit.
Lending a Helping Hand … the VinB Way
One of the most effective and sustainable tools in helping families to escape poverty is Microfinancing. With the help of these schemes and their own resourcefulness and integrity, families are able to improve their access to education and healthcare.
Success is due in part to the structure of the lending institutions which range in size from corporates, NGOs to our own Volunteer in Brazil. All working to mediate small business loans directly to people who have ideas for generating an income but who cannot access standard commercial finance. This direct funding greatly reduces the opportunities for embezzlement and mismanagement.
Business ideas put forward for funding are as varied as the people are creative with many ideas based around agriculture and home crafts. Chicken rearing, beef fattening and commercial crop growing are three projects that Volunteer in Brazil is currently supporting families with.
The concept of micro finance is credited to Mhuammad Yunus who said in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech that
Poverty is an artificial creation that can be changed by policy and institutions.