Sinal das crianças is a program ran inside Sinal do Vale, which is a learning community based in an ecological site a few miles from the capital of Rio. There they have a recovered rainforest land and practice permaculture inside the area where a few events and workshops happen during the year to teach sustainability and they also work directly with kids and teens (high school and middle school) from the district. |
Founding story
Sinal das crianças began activities in 2013 as a project from Sinal do Vale. The work was done with a few students from a local middle school and the kids would go a couple of days a week to Sinal. The project restarted in 2014 with a new team working again with the school, and also the community to engage citizens in their own local culture and to become more connected with their environment.
Sinal das crianças began activities in 2013 as a project from Sinal do Vale. The work was done with a few students from a local middle school and the kids would go a couple of days a week to Sinal. The project restarted in 2014 with a new team working again with the school, and also the community to engage citizens in their own local culture and to become more connected with their environment.
Teaching methodology and curriculum
The program is based in permaculture, agroecology, nature sciences and also rediscovering the local culture. It works as an after-school program and there are people from the Sinal site who coordinate the program.
It is an after school program that relates directly with the vision of the enterprise, which is related to nature sciences and practical sustainability. The people running the program also have experience with art and children’s education. Since they work with different school grades, they create activities by also speaking directly with the students, finding out their interests and what they would like to create.
Organizational and structural aspects
Sinal is placed at a site with organic gardens and permaculture activities and surrounded by agro Forrest, bamboo forests and recovered rainforest.
There is a team responsible for the educational activities and they have a room with art supplies, books and other references to wok with the students and develop new projects as well.
Funding
Sinal do Vale is part of an NGO, some of the projects are done in partnership with other initiatives or can get government funding. Some of the people working there are volunteers.
Personal experience
This was my second time at Sinal, I’ve been there about a year and a half before when the pro-gram with the schools was just beginning. So it was a very interesting experience to come back and notice how much it has grown and changed. Now there are a few more gardens and one where the kids mostly work which is beautifully organized, they have a room for meetings and supplies and have done some nice projects with the students and the place itself is as calm and beautiful as I remembered.
I got to spend a few days there mostly weekend and holiday, so the activities were not at regular speed. But I had the opportunity to sit with the coordinators of the program and go over plans, ideas and reflections for Sinal das Crianças. They also told me that now there is a bit more involvement from the local community and a place in the neighborhood that was previously an abandoned ground is now a public plaza.
The program is based in permaculture, agroecology, nature sciences and also rediscovering the local culture. It works as an after-school program and there are people from the Sinal site who coordinate the program.
It is an after school program that relates directly with the vision of the enterprise, which is related to nature sciences and practical sustainability. The people running the program also have experience with art and children’s education. Since they work with different school grades, they create activities by also speaking directly with the students, finding out their interests and what they would like to create.
Organizational and structural aspects
Sinal is placed at a site with organic gardens and permaculture activities and surrounded by agro Forrest, bamboo forests and recovered rainforest.
There is a team responsible for the educational activities and they have a room with art supplies, books and other references to wok with the students and develop new projects as well.
Funding
Sinal do Vale is part of an NGO, some of the projects are done in partnership with other initiatives or can get government funding. Some of the people working there are volunteers.
Personal experience
This was my second time at Sinal, I’ve been there about a year and a half before when the pro-gram with the schools was just beginning. So it was a very interesting experience to come back and notice how much it has grown and changed. Now there are a few more gardens and one where the kids mostly work which is beautifully organized, they have a room for meetings and supplies and have done some nice projects with the students and the place itself is as calm and beautiful as I remembered.
I got to spend a few days there mostly weekend and holiday, so the activities were not at regular speed. But I had the opportunity to sit with the coordinators of the program and go over plans, ideas and reflections for Sinal das Crianças. They also told me that now there is a bit more involvement from the local community and a place in the neighborhood that was previously an abandoned ground is now a public plaza.
Address: Rua da Cachoeira 345,Duque de Caxias Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Tel: (+55-21) 3658-4597 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.sinaldovale.org/ | Author: Nicole Zatz Date: November 2014 Photography by Edu On Tour |