Vaga Lume

Encontro Bibliotecas Vaga Lume em Comunidades Quilombolas

Promoting reading and strengthening quilombola communities in the Amazon

The Brazilian Amazon comprises 60% of all Brazilian territory, spanning across the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins. There are over one thousand quilombola communities in the Brazilian Amazon region, in which land and identity are closely intertwined. However, there exist no public policies in these communities for development or that guarantee access to educational services, culture, health, housing and sanitation to ensure that they can maintain their traditional way of life.

Vaga Lume has trained hundreds of public school teachers as reading mediators or facilitators for youth and adults, benefiting so far around 25,000 people. This project will work in 18 quilombola communities in the states of Maranhão, Pará and Amapá, promoting cultural appreciation through reading circles and the production of handmade books.

With support from BrazilFoundation, Vaga Lume plans to:

• Strengthen the identity of quilombola communities;
• Create a network of 30 quilombola leaders in communities in the Brazilian Amazon;
• Consolidate Vaga Lume’s methodology in communities.

Impact

30 quilombola leaders trained
18 quilombola communities reached
2,650 quilombola residents benefited

“Vaga Lume provides cultural appreciation, diverse information, entertainment, and respect for others through literature to the riverside communities of Oriximiná-PA” – Klicia Oliveira, Vaga Lume representative