Centro Popular de Cultura e Desenvolvimento

Projeto Sementinha: A Escola debaixo do Pé de Manga

Promoting a Pre-School Education That Involves the Community and Local Culture

The Chácara Santo Amaro community is a cluster of towns and small farming plots that is home to 2,800 people. The area has only one school, which only goes until high school, and there is no basic sanitation infrastructure. The rate of teenage pregnancy in the community is the highest in São Paulo, and there are few job prospects for its youths and adults. According to a survey of community workers, around 500 children up to 4 years of age are not in day care.
Founded in 1984 by anthropologist, educator and folklorist Tião Rocha, CPCD today is reference for education throughout Brazil. Its project will focus on pre-school education for children 4 to 5 years of age, proposing to mobilize mothers and community members as educators themselves who would use their local culture and traditions as a base for school lessons.

With support from BrazilFoundation, CPCD will aim to:

• Offer education to 60 children who lack access to public services;
• Train mothers to act as social educators;
• Mobilize and empower the community to become involved with the project;
• Utilize playful and engaging methods in meetings.

Impact

60 children getting quality education
Appreciation of local culture and traditions
Culture and tradition as a base for lessons

“When building a healthy community, seeds are spread in different directions. In a place with rich traditions, there are many promising possibilities.” Tião Rocha, Founder of CPCD