AWAKEN PROGRAM

Cultural Activities:

Ceramics Classes

Conducted by a plastic artist and a traditional potter from the neighborhood of Betânia in Belo Horizonte, the classes begin from the technical and theoretical concepts in the art of pottery and aim to develop the participants’ creativity and aesthetic sensibility. This initiative also contributes to the appreciation of local cultural-artistic production, for beyond being administered by professionals from the community it also introduces hallmark elements of the local, regional culture (dolls made from decorating gourds, a “flirt” doll or sculpture, figures from folklore, hen-shaped egg baskets, carrancas- a wooden sculpture placed on the prow of boats which traveled the Sao Francisco River, to fend off evil spirits, and many more).

The participants also have the opportunity to share their art with friends and family through expositions open to the community. In all, 53 students from the neighborhoods of Betânia and Olhos D’Água and their surrounding areas have taken part in the project.

Cultural Activities:

Capoeira Classes

Taught by an experienced capoeira practictioner with an extensive socio-educational background, capoeira classes immediately won over the youth served by the Vicintin Foundation, above all because capoeira is a democratic activity in which everyone can find something to relate to, whether to the dance or the fighting or its strong sociocultural chacteristics. As Capoeira is a part of our cultural heritage, the classes also help raise participants’ self-esteem by reclaiming these roots. (Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music.)

Cultural Activities:

Literature Classes

Children and adolescent beneficiaries of Vicintin Foundation programs participate in regular gatherings where entertaining stories based on works from children’s and juvenile literature are staged and performed. After each performance, the audience participates in various playful activities designed to encourage literary reading, such as the creation of characters and puppets from recyclable materials, group discussions (in a circle) to explain the narrative presented, group activities to work on listening and public speaking skills, and creating skits, among others. The literature classes are planned and run by the Vicintin Foundation team, with the occasional participation of writers and storytellers known to the public.

Cultural Activities:

Cultural Activities

Each year, the Vicintin Foundation sponsors cultural excursions and field trips as a way to motivate and expand the public’s contact with a variety of cultural-artistic spaces, equipment and expression, in addition to supporting the recovery of customs, traditions, techniques and beliefs belonging to local and general culture.

Socio-educational and Pedagogical Support

Learning Project—Tutoring and School Support

Through innovative didactic resources linked to other educational actions promoted by the institution, this project provides tutoring and pedagogical accompaniment to dozens of children and adolescents in Belo Horizonte. The activities are offered twice per week at the Learning and Tutoring Center (Centro de Estudos Aprender-Apoio Escolar) and the participants have their monthly tuition, transportation and snacks paid for by the Vicintin Foundation.

Socio-educational and Pedagogical Support

Literacy Project

By means of games, fun and playful activities, this project works toward the acquisition of reading and writing skills and offers tutoring to students with learning difficulties or who are lagging behind academically. The students are chosen through a diagnostic test developed and applied by pedagogues from the Vicintin Foundation at the beginning of each school year. Currently the initiative is being developed in Belo Horizonte with children and adolescents served by the Centro de Acolhida Betânia (Welcome Center Betânia) and students from the Pedro Franco Public School.

Socio-educational and Pedagogical Support

Language Classes

Initiated in 2010, these classes make it possible to learn English and Spanish, with the objective of improving studies and enabling participants to pursue both educational and professional success. The classes are taught with an emphasis on vocabulary and conversation and they include reading comprehension exercises as well as various didactic and audiovisual resources to make them more attractive and interesting. This project has been developed by Mariana Pojo, who has a degree in Language and Literature and is the manager of the Vicintin Foundation.