Community in Action Volunteer Coordinator interview in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
How did you come to Community in Action?
I have spent the last few years living and traveling around South America, but I had yet to spend any time in Brazil. Brazil is such a dynamic country, with its trademark beaches and celebrations (like Carnival) but I really wanted to get a chance to spend time with some of the people who make this country so famous. I found out about Community in Action while researching volunteer opportunities in Rioand volunteer organizations in Brazil,and I immediately connected with the mission, vision, and the idea of working in the favelas to bring about real community change from the inside out. I had been working at a micro finance organization in Paraguay when I came to Rio for a chance weekend trip. The city-scape outside of my bus window from the airport took my breath away, and after connecting with Zak Paster, the Founder of Community in Action, I was ready to come back to volunteer by the end of the month!
Why Brazil?
I think Brazil is fascinating for several reasons. As an American, I think the Afro-Brazilian heritage is something really special and outside of my peripheries of experience as a westerner. There are a lot of elements of culture here in Brazil that allow me to understand things like space, community and music, in ways I have never seen. Also, thinking about the up-coming Olympic Games in 2016, Brazil is in this really interesting position as a rapidly developing country with access to lots of resources. It’s an excellent place to volunteer abroad!
What do you do at Community in Action?
As people search for international volunteer opportunities, volunteer opportunities in Rioor volunteer opportunities in Brazil, my role is to work as theCommunity in Action liaison. I connect volunteerswith one of our partner NGOs or schools to find a placement where both the volunteer and our partner can really benefit from one another. In a moment when Brazil is the focus of intense and growing international attention, I think this is the best way of approaching development from a sustainable perspective. Along with Brazil’s inundation of foreign visitors over the next few years comes a unique opportunity to channel this surge of people into positive and sustainable projects that can work to strengthen some of Brazil’s weakest communities. Our NGO, along with all of our partners, are local to the Complexo do Alemão, a group of favelas located in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. Volunteers get a chance to be part of a real grassroots effort for community change and social outreach by experiencing organizations run by Brazilians for Brazilians.It’s a great international volunteer opportunity!Volunteers can get involved with the following activities: urban gardening, sports, art programs, handicrafts, tutoring services, computer classes, English classes, manual labor support, and more!
I think Brazil is fascinating for several reasons. As an American, I think the Afro-Brazilian heritage is something really special and outside of my peripheries of experience as a westerner. There are a lot of elements of culture here in Brazil that allow me to understand things like space, community and music, in ways I have never seen. Also, thinking about the up-coming Olympic Games in 2016, Brazil is in this really interesting position as a rapidly developing country with access to lots of resources. It’s an excellent place to volunteer abroad!
What do you do at Community in Action?
As people search for international volunteer opportunities, volunteer opportunities in Rioor volunteer opportunities in Brazil, my role is to work as theCommunity in Action liaison. I connect volunteerswith one of our partner NGOs or schools to find a placement where both the volunteer and our partner can really benefit from one another. In a moment when Brazil is the focus of intense and growing international attention, I think this is the best way of approaching development from a sustainable perspective. Along with Brazil’s inundation of foreign visitors over the next few years comes a unique opportunity to channel this surge of people into positive and sustainable projects that can work to strengthen some of Brazil’s weakest communities. Our NGO, along with all of our partners, are local to the Complexo do Alemão, a group of favelas located in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. Volunteers get a chance to be part of a real grassroots effort for community change and social outreach by experiencing organizations run by Brazilians for Brazilians.It’s a great international volunteer opportunity!Volunteers can get involved with the following activities: urban gardening, sports, art programs, handicrafts, tutoring services, computer classes, English classes, manual labor support, and more!
What is the most interesting thing you have discovered about favela life?
I think that in most places, especially in the United States, our impressions of a foreign country like Brazil are really heavily influenced by popular media portrayal. For example, anyone who has seen the 2002 film City of God is left with an impression of the favela as a dangerous and crime ridden place. I think the most surprising and most challenging thing for me so far has been more of a personal struggle: getting rid of my preconceived notions about the favela as associated with extreme poverty and danger. While one can´t deny that the infamous poverty and violence seen in the depictions of favelas from Hollywood don’t exist, I do think it is a very one-sided way of seeing the favela that will ultimately limit the kind of things you can achieve here. As an organization that wants to improve favela life and enable opportunities for those who live there, Community in Action is an important model of sustainable development. The favelas are a space full of energy, life, music, food and people, and while many things like sanitation or crime are still pressing issues, the favelas are ultimately just communities looking for ways to thrive. Becoming a volunteer in Rio is a life changing experience!
Any advice for an interested volunteer?
Yes! If you want to volunteer aboard or you’re searching for international volunteer opportunities, visit the Community in Action website. Interested volunteers should think seriously about what kind of projects excite them–while Community in Action has a dozen active projects, we know that every individual will bring his or her own interests and skill set to the table. Community in Actionloves to help new volunteers create a unique program that inspires them; one that we can share with our partners! We are making a lasting impact in this region and our new operating model will allow us to place even more volunteers over the next few years. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in community development, sustainable enterprise, or non-profit management. If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities in Brazil and specifically volunteer opportunities in Rio, visit: www.communityinaction.org