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Task Brazil
Country background:
Brazil is Latin America's largest country and economy, the world's fifth-most populous country and the world's tenth-largest economy. With a population of approximately 190 million people and it is the fourth largest democracy. Deflation and income support programmes for the poorest families have contributed to a significant reduction in poverty rates and income inequality in recent years, but Brazil remains one of the world's most unequal societies.
The richest 1% of Brazil's population control 50% of its income; the poorest 50% of society live on just 10% of the country's wealth. Street children are an urban problem, which has roots in rural poverty, neglect and the enforced, even violent, displacement of large numbers of people from the land. Estimates on the numbers of Brazilian street children vary from 200,000 to 8 million.
Organization:
Task Brasil Trust is a UK registered charity that, under the supervision of its London office, helps street children and adolescents to reintegrate into society, by providing care, accommodation, education in useful skills, and by encouraging their reintegration into their own families (when possible). TASK also aims to promote among the street teenagers the importance of family planning, and educate on the dangers of drug use and sexually transmitted diseases.
Project Overview:
The work of Task Brasil at Casa Jimmy supports all Task's objectives by providing a home to some of the youngest children living on the streets of Rio as well as to pregnant teenage girls and teenage mother and their babies. Casa Jimmy is a house in the Santa Teresa district of Rio. The house opened as a home for street children in 1998. Since then, Casa Jimmy has made great progress in providing a safe, stimulating and caring environment, enabling its people to lead fulfilling and independent lives.
Our donation gave support to:
- Assist with the purchase of the following, as part of Casa Jimmy's ongoing modernisation project: rewiring of Casa Jimmy; a security system for the house; a cooker suitable to prepare the number if meals required at Casa Jimmy; suitable sized fridge and freezer; a nursing chair and 3 ceiling fans.
- Assist with the purchase of educational equipment for teenage mothers who missed many years of schooling and consequently require a degree of remedial work to fulfill their educational potential;
Project beneficiaries:
It is estimated that there are about 1,500 street children living rough on the streets of Rio de Janeiro. Over 350 children and adolescents have directly benefited from the care provided by Casa Jimmy.
Event where money was raised:
DLA 6th Film Festival, we raised £6,000 and welcomed 3000 visitors.