Tag: hkbardo

By hkbardo

Working with UMPMRS has been both meaningful and challenging. I wish that the project I initially intended on assisting with was further along in its fruition, but as with many non-profits, and especially the way things work in Brazil, one must be patient and adjust expectations to a more relaxed time frame. That said, my daily experience in and around the organization is always insightful, whether I am actually helping to feed and instruct children, or simply observing the inner workings of the NGO and the myriad obstacles its staff must constantly confront. Walking up and down the favela each time is an eye-opening experience in itself, and listening to the harrowing stories of various residents within the community has been thought-provoking. ...continue reading "Reflecting on Volunteering with UMPMRS"

By hkbardo

As you may have read in my earlier posts, I had initially intended on volunteering with the organization Meninas Mães; however, upon arrival these plans unraveled for several reasons. Primarily, the organization is located Zona Norte (the North Zone of Rio), in the favela Complexo do Alemão, which was more recently pacified, and thus is significantly more dangerous than Rio’s other large favelas like Rocinha and Vidigal. In the past few weeks violence has escalated as the different drug trafficking factions fight over territory. The organization’s director emailed me informing that the organization is currently closed due to the heightened threats, so I had to seek out a new organization in one of the safer favelas in Zona Sur (the South Zone). Fortunately, an American woman getting her Master’s degree at my university came into my Community Development class to present the work she did for her dissertation, focused on violence against women and female empowerment. I spoke to her (Courtney) afterward and she offered to introduce me to one of the organizations she worked very closely with while volunteering and doing research. ...continue reading "União de Mulheres Para o Melhoramento da Roupa-Suja"

By hkbardo

Finally I am getting settled into Rio. Last Friday, after several days of orientation at the university, I was all excited for my first visit to Meninas Mães. However, of all days, the bus workers’ union decided to go on strike that day, leaving me with no way to get an hour across the city to my destination! Fortunately, after 6 months in Brazil I was already accustomed to this kind of uncontrollable occurrence, which inevitably changes one’s plans. Long story short, I was unable to begin my long-term volunteer work this week; however, I took the opportunity to volunteer with Rio de Janeiro’s Central de Movimentos Populares (CMP) on International Women’s Day on March 8th. ...continue reading "Central de Movimentos Populares (CMP) on International Women’s Day"

By hkbardo

It is currently summer vacation in Brazil, so of course, school is not in session and while everyone is out enjoying the beach and outdoor concerts, I am stuck suffering the cold in Massachusetts! But alas I will be back in Salvador in a matter of days, and finally on to Rio a few weeks after that. In the meantime, in preparation for my volunteer work with Meninas Mães, I have been reading articles to gain insight into the issue of teen pregnancies in Brazil’s favelas. I felt particularly inspired to write about João Eduardo Coin de Carvalho’s article “How can a child be a mother? Discourse on teenage pregnancy in a Brazilian favela”, which introduces a fascinating perspective on the causes and social repercussions of teen pregnancies, from the point of view of adolescents living in São Paulo’s favelas. ...continue reading "“How can a child be a mother?”"