educare: Insights into progress and challenges in São Paulo

On Wednesday, January 12, a violent storm caused considerable damage to the educare campus in São Paulo. A tree fell on the listed building that houses the bazaar, common rooms, and the trainees' shared flat. Fortunately, there were no children on site at the time, so no one was injured. The newly built wall and the roof of the sports hall were also damaged. The city has been informed and will remove the tree so that the damage can be assessed more closely. The AEB-Stiftung has already pledged its support.

Giovanna, an AEB colleague, visited educare in December 2023 and was able to spend valuable time with the children on site. It was a moving experience for her to see the harsh reality of the children. Despite the difficult circumstances, she tried to give the children as much attention as possible, be it through small gestures such as finding a flip-flop or deeper conversations with young people in the trainee program.

In Brazil, the football-loving children at educare are always on the lookout for ways to use their indoor sports pitch. The pitch was resurfaced last year, and in order to preserve it, educare collected used indoor football boots in sizes 37-39 in Germany. These shoe donations will not only provide the children with better training opportunities, but also help to ensure that the pitch remains in good condition.

A delegation of AEB colleagues visited educare and were impressed by the work on site. The children's laughter and the trainees' sense of responsibility touched everyone deeply. The work that educare does is of enormous importance. It creates a wonderful place where children receive love and care that they often do not experience in other parts of the world. The opportunity arose to talk about expanding the trainee program to include vocational training.

The stories of Alex, Lucas, and Diogo, three young people who are taking part in educare's trainee program, are heart-wrenching. Growing up in the world's largest neighbourhood run by dealers and built on drugs, they originally had no prospects other than a life of crime and drug abuse. But educare has given them a real chance at a better life. Today, they are role models for the younger children in the program and glow with confidence. They describe this impressive turnaround in their lives during their visit to the AEB headquarters. A good opportunity for anyone interested to come into direct contact with the young people from the project.

This year, educare's annual charity dinner took place in the Festhalle Tuningen and was a complete success. The event once again showed how educare sticks together like a big family. Numerous helpers and donors contributed to making the evening a wonderful experience. There were reports, films and photos from São Paulo as well as an interview with two young Germans who recently returned from the project.

The district in which educare is located is facing major changes. The governor of São Paulo is considering moving his official residence back to the original governor's palace – right opposite the educare campus. If this becomes a reality, it could mean that the children and their mothers will have to be relocated from the neighborhood. For the children, this would mean an improvement in their living conditions, but it would pose challenges for educare, as the project may have to move to another part of the city. The young people on the trainee program could play an important role here, as they could help with the move and the subsequent new start. A final decision has yet to be made and it remains to be seen how the situation develops.