Increasing social projects impact in communities

Once again, it is a great joy to be able to share with you stories of impact that are only possible thanks to your supportive outlook.
Thank you so much!

Today, we tell you about the lives of two young people who went through our management mentoring programs in the past. They arrived with a lot of potential and today they are conquering more and more spaces, making a social impact along the way.

In 2021, we brought here the story of Raimundo Leite, one of the founders of an organization developing local communication actions, bringing belonging and representation to the residents of his territory. We really want to tell you how Raimundo is today, but first, it's worth remembering a little about his journey.
Out of concerns about the lack of documentation of histories and traditions, the lack of quilombola representation in the media and the difficulty of intergenerational connection, Raimundo decides to found TV Quilombo in Quilombo Rampa. Located in Maranhão, northeastern Brazil, the place is made up of 4 quilombola communities, where around 500 people live, and was founded in 1818. So much history generated the desire to create an audiovisual collective that was born with the objective of preservation and dissemination of quilombola culture, through the capture and dissemination of stories, cultural manifestations, religious festivals and traditions.
At the beginning of its activities, the collective did not have the financial resources to purchase professional equipment. In this way, using creativity and playfulness, they handcrafted their own equipment, using ancestral and improvised materials. The camera was made of cardboard, and a cell phone was attached to it to capture images. The microphone was a stick and the drone was a 10-meter bamboo pole with a cell phone at the end.
Raimundo Leite was one of those selected to participate in an impact leader development program, receiving individualized mentoring. During our meetings, it was possible to support him in the process of structuring the initiative, fundraising and strategies to enable good management of the organization. It was also during the mentorships that the Ekloos Institute helped him prepare for investment banking, through which he obtained resources to buy equipment and improve his infrastructure, in addition to being able to carry out legal formalization.
Raimundo's work on TV Quilombo has been gaining more and more visibility and notoriety. In 2021, he traveled to the United States to provide special coverage on the George Floyd case, and, in 2023, he was invited to participate in the International Internet Governance Forum, organized by the UN in Japan, in addition to having participated as a speaker in several important events in Brazil.
Social impact cannot have limits or borders and we hope that Raimundo continues to cross all borders, learning other cultures and teaching about his people, wherever he goes.

Another social manager who fills us with pride and hope is Ester:

Born in the community of Jardim Colombo, a community located in São Paulo, Ester Carro grew up in a very precarious house, between playing on the banks of an open stream and garbage dumps and participating in social actions developed by her parents in this territory. Family support did not reverberate outside the home: Ester suffered several times from racist actions that culminated in “you don’t look like an architect”, when she decided to study the subject in college – already envisioning contributing to a future in which people did not have to living in precarious environments or spending leisure time in unhealthy areas.
After college, Ester took over her family's social action activities and decided to participate in our Leadership Development Program to improve her knowledge of social management. During the mentoring, Ester structured a Farmers project that teaches low-income women the basics of engineering and architecture so that they can transform their homes and work in companies in the sector. His hands-on approach works when his beneficiaries apply what they are learning in their own homes while renovating and transforming them.
Already at its inception, Fazendeiras caught the attention of several Brazilian media outlets, later resulting in partnerships with relevant institutions, such as ‘CasaCor’, an article in Vogue magazine, in addition to its presence in space at major events and the Special Award from the renowned Brazilian magazine ‘Veja SP’ in the 2023 edition of ‘CasaCor’.
The “Espaço Motirõ” Project was on display at the largest architecture exhibition in the Americas. In 34 m², Ester designed a house capable of housing a bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen and study hall. The project caught the attention of the judges for bringing to light the reflection on decent housing in the periphery and brought more recognition to this black woman, peripheral, master and favela child who has been helping hundreds of people who do not have decent housing while attracting the attention of a wide audience for the cause he works for.

It's beautiful to see Ester's evolution from our mentoring to today's awards and recognition. We are sure that all of its development will bring even more impact to its community and its residents.