The Friends of Estrela Foundation in the Netherlands has set itself the goal of advising and supporting Instituto Estrela da Favela, which is active in Rio, in raising sufficient funds with the aim of ensuring the project’s long-term survival.
The board is formed by
President: Bas Willering
Secretary: Jan Roelfs
Treasurer: Rombout Breedveld
The advisory committee is formed by Robert Bruinsma and Jaap de Jong.
The committee that organizes an annual benefit evening in Holland is formed by Daan de Geus and Aloys Langemeyer. Enthusiastic candidates are still being sought to add to this super team.
Both the Dutch Stichting Vrienden van Estrela da Favela and the Brazilian Instituto Estrela da Favela have ANBI status.
More information at www.vriendenvanestreladafavela.org
Trainer VinÃcius, qualified and from the neighborhood, gives soccer training to both boys and girls on the field in front of the door. In addition to soccer technical matters and tactics, he pays close attention to life skills such as discipline, rules, decency and sportsmanship. Beach tennis lessons are organized every Thursday on Copacabana beach, where the children can not only play sports, but also come into contact with another side of society.
In addition to the regular lessons, our teachers pay a lot of attention to social skills and general knowledge, such as hygiene, health and sexuality. This is necessary because many children hardly get these things at home. Some children are completely left to their own devices by their parents. We also organize regular meetings with the children and their mothers, where our teachers discuss various life questions.
Since the corona epidemic, healthy food packages have been distributed to all the families of our students. The poverty trap has increased tremendously in the favelas since 2020. The hope is that there will come a time when we can phase this out, but it looks like we will have to continue this for the time being, although things are slowly improving.
We pay special attention to the development of girls, because girls are usually the future mothers and educators in Brazilian macho society. Therefore, we believe that they can create substantial changes in the next generation. We give them tools to become independent women. Periodically, or when the need arises, there are the “girls clubs” where the (female) teachers discuss issues with the girls, ranging from sexuality to the role of women in society.
The boys are taught outside of class that a career in the drug gang is undesirable. We regularly discuss that they can do things differently from their fathers, some of whom did choose this “career path.” In addition, the teachers also teach boys gender roles and gender equality.
Six hours a week there are music lessons. They have already played with Nilze Carvalho, a well-known interpreter of the samba. In addition, there are regular cultural outings to museums, cinemas and concert halls. They also participated in a musical project in which they composed film music in collaboration with the Rotterdam foundation Watch that Sound.
Foundation Friends of Estrela da Favela
ANBI status no: 825597882
IBAN: NL17ABNA 0522610064
BIC: ABNANL2A
