This essential program was created with a simple goal in mind. Help families in the Complexo do Alemão favela repair their homes to provide them with a safe place to live.
Housing is a fundamental human right under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and everyone should have a safe, secure and habitable home. In Complexo do Alemão, this right is not met, with the abject poverty seeing generations of families living in shacks and with a population now of more than 70,000!
Building codes are non-existent and many families build their own homes with whatever scraps of wood, brick or metal they can find. Residents of favelas suffer from health conditions due to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions, with the average life expectancy 13 years less than other residents of Rio.
While residents try to repair their homes to the best of their ability, many are unable to afford basic food and clothing, so often construction materials are simply out of reach. This project allows residents and volunteers to work together to repair and maintain these homes and create a warm, safe and sanitary place for families to live.
Goals of this Project:
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Improve the future prospects of families in one of Rio’s largest shanty towns
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Alleviate health and social issues within the Complexo do Alemão favela by supplying warm, safe and sanitary conditions for families to live in
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Provide free labor and some basic materials to help build or repair homes for residents
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Enable cultural exchange with benefits residents and international volunteers alike
Start Dates
This project is available year-round and programs start every SUNDAY. Volunteers can choose to participate for periods ranging from 1 week to 12 weeks. Longer stays can be arranged directly with the local team, but will be subject to availability and individual visa conditions. Spaces on this project are limited and therefore subject to availability. Early booking is recommended.
Requirements
Love Volunteers welcomes all those 18 years and over who wish to have a tangible and lasting impact on the lives of families and communities facing extreme poverty in Brazil. This 'hands-on' project is ideally suited to those volunteers with some knowledge and experience in construction or any of the building trades, however the project is open to all and does not require participants to have specific education, qualifications or experience, as you will be shown everything you need to know by your local project leader. Importantly though, all applicants must first and foremost have a genuine willingness to help, be fit and active, show drive and initiative, and bring a positive 'can-do' attitude. If this sounds like you, we want you on the team!
Additionally, volunteers applying to join this program will be required to supply to following documentation: Emergency contact.
