Porto Alegre – Brazil

The elementary and comprehensive school Profa Marina Martins de Souza is located to the south of Porto Alegre. The school has 420 students who are split into two groups of morning and afternoon classes. 70% of the students live in the neighbouring slums.
The urgently needed renovations could not be funded by the Brazilian department of education. The available funds are sufficient for the teachers’ salaries only. School supplies have to be paid for by the parents themselves. As they often cannot afford paying for school books etc. their children are disadvantaged. The non profit organisation Stern des Südens e.V. is working to change of these deplorable circumstances with the financial support of HelpAlliance.
Between 2007 and 2009 extensive renovations of the school building were carried out. In the first phase an enclosure wall was built that protects the students from raids. In a further phase the leaky roof was renovated, broken windows were replaced and the interior spaces completely refurbished. Electricity cables are not exposed any more and an access for disabled children has been provided. Students and teachers alike are especially happy about the redevelopment of the sports field to which the parents participated.
As the basic parameters are provided now, the ground work is laid for the next step to improve the education of the students. It is important for these children to offer them classes that will prepare them for the professional world. This way the circle of poverty in the Favelas may be broken and the students are not threatened by unemployment at the end of their schooldays. Therefore especially mathematics and PC courses are of importance, with the respective equipment as well as the teaching materials and the subject teachers. In the planning is also the vocational preparation that includes job application training and work experience placements with local craftsmen.