Associação de Trabalhadores em Ofícios Vários, Carroceiros e Catadores de Material Reciclável – ATRACAR

Educação e Cultura para Crianças e Adolescentes

Atracar is an organization of waste collectors that develops actions to train and organize workers and their children. It is common that children of waste collectors spend part of their day with their parents in the dumps, collecting trash. The project “Education and Culture for Children and Adolescents” supported by BrazilFoundation in 2005 provided educational and cultural services to 58 children and adolescents in the community.

Originally scheduled to last six months, the grant allowed the project to last more than one year and enabled the training of a group of children as handcrafters. A cultural center was also created where children could play while their parents received professional training. In 2009 the organization received the Human Rights Award in the Fighting Poverty category.