Statement of Support for Ana e Maria
May 7, 2007
During the past several years and during the course of successive democratically elected governments, Brazil has suffered escalating urban violence and struggled to quell it without resort to arbitrary and authoritarian measures. Recently, the Washington Post ran a front page story and picture, "In Rio, Death Comes Early," on April 16, 2007 detailing the extreme dangers of living in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro's largest favela.
Many of us associated with the Brazil Strategy Network (www.brazilstrategy.org) regularly visit Rio along with thousands of North American tourists and businesspeople. Several of us have even been victims of such violence, and others, like BSN founder and National Advisory Board member Maria Helena Moreira Alves, have dedicated their lives toward confronting the poverty and political marginalization of the favelas.
The BSN regularly supports the struggle for agrarian reform and sustainable rural development in Brazil, all necessary, but insufficient measures for alleviating urban violence. Yet, the network has not clearly identified a point of consensus that we can all come together to take a stand and confront the misery and violence that haunts our families and friends in the cities of Brazil. The time is right for us to find our point of departure for collectively contributing to the myriad of solutions required to bring peace and justice to the favelas in the coming generation.
We propose that the BSN formally sponsor VivaRio's Ana e Maria project for the upcoming twelve months or so. VivaRio is based in Rio de Janeiro and is one of the most prominent not for profit, non-governmental organizations in Brazil, see http://www.vivario.org.br. Among its many community action projects is Ana e Maria, a relatively new initiative to support teenage mothers in the favelas with pre and post natal care, sex education, mentoring, educational and tutorial support, citizenship development, and community consciousness raising. Ana e Maria's mission is inspired by research indicating that youths from single parent homes in the favelas disproportionately participate in and are victims of the violence. Please see the project's website at http://www.vivario.org.br/publique/cgi/cgilua.exe/sys/start.htm?sid=22&infoid=949
Currently, Ana e Maria is supported by VivaRio general revenues and Norwegian Church Aid, a church based material assistance organization from Norway. Ana e Maria would like to expand its reach to more sites around Rio and provide additional vocational training for Marias, the teenage mothers directly served by the project. The BSN could play an instrumental role in assisting the project to extend its reach and provide this new service to the hundreds of Marias already served.
We propose that the BSN formally sponsor the project, provide modest material support, assist with its international communications, and identify a long term sponsor to adopt the project outright in 2008.
This proposed resolution reflects the mission and values of the BSN and offers all of us an opportunity to collectively participate in one of the modest, but promising solutions to the urban violence that undermines equitable democratic development. Moreover, it would give us a very practical experience to ground further discussions on how the BSN could play a more important role in supporting those forces that are dedicated to bringing peace and justice to the favelas.
Resolution adopted by BSN Coordinating Committee on May 7, 2007
For more information contact:
Mark S. Langevin, Ph.D.
National Organizer
Brazil Strategy Network
Mlangevin@afscme.org
Tel. 202-744-0072
Make your contribution now. Here's how:
To make a contribution by credit card, download the attached authorization form, under SEE Project, write Brazil Strategy Network along with your information.
To contribute by check, make your payment to "Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE)" and then in the bottom lefthand corner under "For" please write Brazil Strategy Network. Under IRS and Banking Rules, checks must be made out to our 501(c)3 sponsor, SEE, in order to be deposited properly to the BSN account.
Mail your credit card autorization form or check to:
Mark Langevin/Brazil Strategy Network
3401 - 38th Street, N.W. #803
Washington, D.C. 20016