Casa do Saber [The House of Know-How]

Key areas

Education

Region/country

THE CONTEXT OF YOUR INITIATIVE

Casa do Saber is a space where activities are carried out with children and adolescents from community of Pirambu. All are welcome, assisted and heard, thus helping to reduce the social issues that affect deprived communities. The entire district and people of all ages are invited to participate. The casa offers courses in IT, English, college-prep, in addition to academic support. The children that arrive with learning difficulties learn dance, capoeira and reading activities. The programme of festive events brings cheer to everyone. In this way, the Casa do Saber strengthens and creates bonds, changing the outlook of a district by sharing these stories from the day to day life of the residents. The Casa do Saber opens its doors and embraces the community of Greater Pirambu.

THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT AS PART OF YOUR INITIATIVE

We assist 130 children in activities encompassing academic support, dance, music, theatre, capoeira and IT. 35 teenagers are participating in a preparatory course for college and an English course. The children receive lessons in environmental education, learn how to separate recyclables and how to manufacture toys using these recycled materials.

WHO IS INVOLVED FROM OUR GROUP?

Emmaus has 1 educational coordinator, 1 psychologist, 2 teachers, 3 art teachers and 3 supervisors.
We also count on the youths and relatives for their help supervising the children.

WHICH PARTNERS ARE YOU WORKING WITH ON THIS INITIATIVE?

Develop the learning capacity of the children and adolescents, supplementing the work already carried out by the official network of public education, in pursuit of a complete command of reading, writing, arithmetic, and, comprehension of the natural and social environment.

FUTURE PROSPECTS

The majority of these children’s and pre-adolescent’s families are poor. In 2015, 75% of the children that we welcomed came from families that receive family social welfare. Some families face difficulties due to violence – they live in dangerous areas and witness the consumption and selling of drugs. Many of them are temporary workers who turn to Emmaus and the Casa do Saber as a way of protecting their children from the violence and the drugs.
The families are monitored every two months during a meeting held by Casa do Saber called “Momento cidadão” [moment with citizens], where we run dynamic conversation circles and games. The attendance level of the children’s guardians (fathers, mothers, grandparents) at these meetings is 60%.