Vocational Training Center

Our Vocational Training Center fulfilled a vital mission by welcoming and supporting children, youth, and adults from the favela who wished to discover and develop their skills in specific areas. Knowing that the majority of residents lacked the financial resources to cover the costs of vocational or technical training, we actively worked to break this barrier.

During its active period, the project offered not only targeted training for different trades but also a solid foundation in citizenship. We guided our students to transform their vocations into professions, giving them the real conditions to compete for opportunities and improve their employability in an ever-challenging job market.

The Project's Purpose

Our commitment was to be the bridge between the natural talent of our community residents and professional fulfillment. Our main objectives with this initiative were:

• Democratize Vocational Training: Ensure free access to specific training for those without financial means, guaranteeing that the focus on developing a trade was a right for everyone.

• Develop Skills and Talents: Help youth and adults identify their vocations and transform those skills into practical and valuable tools for the market.

• Form Conscious Citizens: Go beyond technical teaching by integrating citizenship building to develop ethical, critical professionals who are aware of their role in society.

• Improve Employability: Offer the necessary support and training so our students could enter, compete, and thrive in the job market.

Capoeira

Wednesday and Friday nights at SER Alzira de Aleluia were once filled with the sound of the berimbau and the energy of capoeira. This project brought into the NGO our most famous mixture of martial arts and dance. More than teaching the movements of the ginga, the classes played a fundamental role in helping students connect with their own culture and heritage. Through capoeira, the children of Vidigal learned about the history of resistance behind this art, created by enslaved Africans brought to Brazil during the colonial period. It was a living space where sport blended with the history of our people.

The Project's Purpose

Our commitment to capoeira was to use the roda (the circle) as a space for education, memory, and character building. Our main objectives with this initiative were:

• Restore Culture and Ancestry: Teach the richness of Afro-Brazilian history, valuing the roots and cultural identity that form our country.

• Develop Discipline: Use sports practice to work on focus, respect for rules, respect for masters, and body awareness.

• Strengthen Bonds of Friendship: Make the roda de capoeira an environment of unity and trust, where children could build solid friendships and learn the value of group work.

• Promote Belonging: Show students that they are heirs to a powerful culture of great resistance, strengthening the self-esteem of every participant.

French and Spanish

In a world where cultures meet and connect more and more, mastering a foreign language has always been a powerful tool. At SER Alzira de Aleluia, we were proud to offer weekly Spanish and French classes to any community resident who wished to expand their horizons. The heart of this project was our international volunteers. After all, who better to teach a language than someone who has it as their mother tongue? Their presence was fundamental and transformed our classrooms into true passports to the world, allowing our students to experience cultural immersion without ever having to leave Vidigal.

The Project's Purpose

Our commitment to language teaching was to democratize access to a globalized world and promote a genuine human exchange. Our main objectives with this initiative were:

• Break Cultural Borders: Provide the opportunity to learn Spanish, English, and French, preparing community students for an increasingly connected world.

• Promote Immersion with Native Speakers: Connect our residents with foreign volunteers, ensuring authentic teaching focused on conversation and rich in real accents.

• Encourage the Exchange of Life Experiences: Make classes not just a space for grammar and vocabulary, but a rich meeting point for sharing stories, customs, and worldviews.

• Expand Opportunities: Give participants the linguistic tools necessary to seek new professional, academic, and personal paths.

Solidarity Action during the Pandemic

When the pandemic hit the world, the impacts were felt even more harshly within our community. With many families in Vidigal suddenly losing their sources of income, uncertainty knocked at the door of many homes. In this moment of unprecedented crisis, SER Alzira de Aleluia mobilized all its efforts and resources for a major solidarity campaign. We distributed +100,000 food baskets to ensure that food reached the tables of those who needed it most. More than just delivering supplies, this action was a collective embrace and concrete proof that, together, we are capable of getting through the most difficult times by taking care of one another.

The Purpose of the Action

Our commitment during that critical period was to act with urgency, empathy, and dignity to protect our community. Our main objectives with this initiative were:

• Ensure Food Security: Bring food to the tables of Vidigal’s families, ensuring that basic needs were met amidst the health and economic crisis.

• Support During Income Loss: Offer emergency and immediate support to workers and families who lost their jobs and livelihoods overnight.

• Strengthen the Solidarity Network: Unite donors, volunteers, and residents in a great "chain of good," showing the strength, resilience, and unity of our favela.

• Offer Hope and Welcome: Reaffirm that the NGO is a space of continuous care, bringing not only nutrition but also comfort and dignity to the homes of our community.