Announcing the Five Winning Initiatives from the Community Innovation Award

 
We would like to thank everyone who voted for the best informal initiatives from BrazilFoundation’s first Community Innovation Award.

More than 30,000 people have been directly impacted by 75 initiatives in 16 Brazilian states. The BrazilFoundation Team chose 24 of these initiatives for voting, based on the results produced within the deadline and the content shared using the #BrasilPossí­vel hashtag. See all 24 initiatives here.

We received more than 7,200 votes from around the world, and we invite everyone to learn about the winning initiatives. The 5 with the most votes will receive a renewal grant of R$5,000. The top 3 will get the opportunity to participate in BrazilFoundation’s capacity-building workshops June 9th and 10th in Rio de Janeiro. And the one with the most votes will be awarded during the XIV Gala New York on September 14th, 2016. Regardless of the voting results, we consider all to be winners.

We would like to thank the donors in New York, Miami and Connecticut who helped make the support for these 75 initiatives possible. We would also like to thank the mentor organizations, the leaders and their transformative initiatives, and of course all the voters for helping us choose the winners.

We continue to believe that a better Brazil is possible! Each one of us must play a part in making it a reality.

Here’s the winning list (in order with #1 having the most votes):

1. WINNER -Liga do Bem – Campo Grande, MS

Initiative Leaders: Adelmo Carlin Schucks Junior, 42 anos e Isadora Gonçalves Coimbra Souto de Araujoj, 24 anos
Mentor: Luther King
Training volunteers to make motivational and self-esteem-boosting visits to 120 people in hospitals, nursing homes and shelters in low-income communities

“Our dream is to stimulate an interest in our society to do good. This will help set an example that there is a hero in each of us, and that we can change many things in the world from small, yet sincere, actions towards our neighbors.”

2. Prevenção ao Abuso Sexual de Criança e Adolescente no Bairro Leitelândia – Primavera, PA

Initiative Leader: Elizangela Pinto, 39 anos
Mentor: MMNEPA
Creating awareness among children, adolescents, and their families on sexual exploitation and abuse

“We dream of a future where there are more opportunities for them to fulfill their professional and personal potentials and be happy.”

3. Agua para viver – Prado, BA

Initiative Leaders: Cacica Maria da Ajuda dos Santos – Cacica Arian Pataxó, 50 anos; Joelcio Santos da Cruz, 26 anos e Ilauro, 29 anos
Mentor: THYDÊWÁ
Building a well to provide water access to 100 people of an indigenous group

“After the well, we want to consider constructing bathrooms. We want to provide water to irrigate crops, and then we can plant with organic fertilizers and sell the harvests in the village.”

4. Criança Feliz, Fortaleza, CE

Initiative Leader: Jose Augusto Lins de Souza
Mentor: Barraca da Amizade
Renovating and reopening a community nursery for 120 children

“We want to take children and adolescents out of danger and instead occupy them with activities that will foster their development.”

5. Beco Cultural – Arte e Cultura em Movimento, Apuiarés, CE

Initiative Leader: Carlos Alberto Carneiro Cruz, 31 anos
Mentor: ADEL
Cultural activities for 90 children and teenagers including reading groups, theater courses, and tutoring; and the creation of a books database

“My biggest dream is to expand the project and offer guitar and voice classes.”