Pedra Viva was a day program for disadvantaged children living in the favelas (slums) in Belo Horizonte Brazil, this project has now closed due to the project leader resigning.

Prostitution, violence and drug use are a part of everyday life for children living in this area. Almost 1 in 4 children in Brazil are victims of school dropout. To encourage children to remain in school they provided access to specialist classes and services including dance, music, IT, tutoring and social workers in a safe and nurturing environment.

The organisation focused on three key methods to prepare children and adolescents to seek a more dignified life and a promising future:

Education – They seek to strengthen the studies of their children and to always teach them more. They have volunteers who assist them in school activities and also extra activities such as dance, percussion, crafts and English.

Empowerment – Insecurity and fear may be present in a child’s life depending on their experiences and current social situation. However, they try to get around these negative feelings with much affection and school help. They especially want to show children they have the power to be who they want to be.

Fight against school dropout – School drop-out occurs on a large scale due to various factors such as financial difficulty, crime and even lack of interest. They seek to keep the student’s interest active and not only to encourage them to always continue learning, but also to find their preference in the areas of knowledge.