Perspectives #2 - Laurence Guenoun

PERSPECTIVES

by

UMPMRS UNE CRECHE A ROCINHA - LAURENCE GUENOUN PHOTOGRAPHE

ISSUE 020910

S O M M A I R E

The History of UMPMRS The UNIÃO DE MULHERES PRÓ-MELHORAMENTO DA ROUPA SUJA - UMPMRS began its work in 1978 with the goal of bettering the life of the residents of the community of Rocinha (specifically Roupa Suja) with social projects for children, adolescents and youth, focused on Education.

LAURENCE GUENOUN PHOTOGRAPHE

1. UMPMRS Daycare – The daycare was built in the center of the community to create a place of “escape or shelter” for the children living in Roupa Suja.

The children of Roupa Suja are vulnerable and neglected , many families don’t have the means to feed or care of educate their children. Many times in Roupa Suja, you find a mal-nourished child, playing in the middle of the wet and dirty alleyways during a shootout, with anyone paying any attention. With this in mind, the women opened the daycare to protect the children from the dangers on the street, while caring properly for them.

Projeto Famílias – As part of the daycare project, Project Famílias was launched in 2004 to support the families in Roupa Suja. It is a need based project and many times the families come to UMPMRS in crisis times. The project is reserved for families, which show determination to succeed and to change, and respect and care for their children but have no means and are faced with a difficult situation. The project provides assistance in the form of medicines, products for hygiene, furniture or appliances, clothing, food, emergency housing or help with constructions or emergency renovations, in some cases, a new home. In 2004, the project was launched with a campaign “Brick for Cheyenne”, which relocated 6 families from wood shacks to brick houses.

In 2010, UMPMRS will launch a series of talks about health, citizenship, human rights, environment etc.

The Team The ONG is 100% community run, the directors are the women who started the project and continue to work at it every day. The ONG employees women from the community who couldn’t otherwise work because of young children or other responsibilities which require them to work close to home and have a flexible schedule.

There are 10 teachers, 1 pedagogue, 1 social worker, 1 chef and 2 directors working at the project.

To Help: HOW TO DONATE: In Brazil: Bank Transfer to BANCO ITAU Uniao de Mulheres Pro-Melhoramento da Roupa Suja Agency # (Agencia): 4552 Account # (Conta): 03237-9 In US: www.developingmindsfoundation.org, specify for the Rocinha Project International: www.planeterra.org- choose the Brazil Favela Project We are on facebook: UNIAO DE MULHERES PRO-MLEHORAMENTO DA ROUPA SUJA Our website is currently in construction: www.roupasuja.org.

1 La Favela de Rocinha est un dédale de ruelles, d’escaliers et de bicoques installées anarchiquement.

Pourtant on y trouve tout, jusqu’au supermarché. Mais il y règne surtout une extrème pauvreté.

2 Cette crèche, gérées par des bénévoles s’est installée en haut de la Favela. Les mères y trouvent du soutien, et les enfants un havre de paix.

3 Trois sections, de 2 mois à 5 ans, des activités proposées en fonction des âges des enfants. Dans chaque pièce, il y a de la musique, il y a des rires, il y a des jeux. C’est aussi un lieu de bonheur.

4 Pour palier aux problèmes d’alphabétisation, et permettre aux enfants de s’ouvrir au monde, des cours de soutien scolaire, d’anglais et d’informatique sont dispensés par des bénévoles.

Ont participé à ce numéro special

Laurence Guenoun Photographe Eric Battistelli Graphiste / DA Mathieu Drouet Web Master

Plateformag copyright septembre 2010 - Tous droits réservés Toutes les images, photos diffusées appartiennent à leurs auteurs respectifs.