Creche Aids Families in Violent Rio Favela

Summary

Community-based preschool in Rio’s most dangerous favela that suffers from 20 years of rival drug trafficking wars aids working families & delivers targeted early childhood education to 45 toddlers.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Here in the notoriously violent Maré complex, where police built a wall to keep the bullets in, this daycare centre seeks to help the most needy families – parents trying to work outside of the drugtrade, in poor living conditions, with minimal income and support. Set up by a caring resident who had himself benefited from the CEASM program (see additional info), it brings vital daycare support as well as working with each family in the areas of education, parenting, nutrition and social risk.

How will this project solve this problem?

Daycare is Mon – Fri: 7AM-5PM and some special weekends for 45 kids ages 2-4. Breakfast, lunch, a snack, & dinner are provided. 10 professionals attend to the children with a curriculum formed around the specific needs of each child & his family.

Potential Long Term Impact

As well as allowing parents to seek work and support their families, wider education is provided in parenting, social matters, health & nutrition and at age 5 the centre encourages the children’s enrollment and then attendance at municipal schools.

Project Message

This is a very smart daycare; taking a very targeted approach to early childhood development and probably saving 45 families and their children from the norm that becomes them in this hellish favela.
- Christine Clauser, Development Director Dreams Can Be Foundation

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources