Cajazeiras Project, Brazil

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, many families in this urban area lived in cramped and unsafe housing.

Many households were headed by a single parent and over half the population lived below the poverty line. There was limited access to health services, and violence and human rights offences were affecting children’s wellbeing.  

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Cajazeiras community have improved access to education and healthcare, improved livelihoods opportunities, and increased awareness of child rights.

Together we've achieved so much

293 women were supported to improve their incomes

The project partnered with local authorities and organisations to generate employment and business opportunities.

  • 84 youth and women on low incomes completed vocational training focused on production of food and handicrafts, hairdressing and beauty therapy.
  • Two women’s craft groups were supported with training and they participated in trade fairs to gain valuable exposure for their products.

673 families took part in awareness campaigns on child wellbeing

Issues covered during these campaigns included women’s health, gender relations, sexuality and family responsibilities.

  • 293 women and men participated in parenting skills training. This included helping women generate income to meet their children’s needs.
  • 53 youth participated in art education and theatre workshops, and developed a documentary about issues affecting youth, which was presented to the community.
  • About 500 people participated in political debates, addressing social justice challenges facing youth and innovative solutions to meet them.
  • The project supported the development of a local MJPOP (Youth Monitoring of Public Policy) group. MJPOP is a social movement led by young people to monitor public services, run educational and recreational activities and advocate for child rights.

810 children have learned how to prevent dengue fever

During school health training workshops, students also learned how to prevent dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases.

  • 137 malnourished children were monitored and referred for nutritional recovery.
  • Families gained improved access to health information and services including growth monitoring, parental training on caring for malnourished children, and a nutritional recovery program at daycare centres.
  • A process for counselling and referral of children to healthcare networks has been developed.

"The activities changed me, because I used to walk only with the wrong people and after I started participating in capoeira and soccer I moved away from these wrong people."

- Clea, aged 19