Casa do Zezinho
São Paolo, Brazil
On the outskirts of São Paulo, there is a poor and violent region so dangerous, it is known as the "death triangle." Thousands of families live here and don't have the resources to move elsewhere. Children have no access to leisure activities—there are no libraries, no theaters, no museums, no parks to enrich their free time. In fact, on average, three children die in this neighborhood every week by violent means or neglect.
In the middle of this terror is a safe haven called Casa do Zezinho. This daycare and after-school center is a sanctuary for children and teenagers who take part in their educational programs as well as the arts and culture programs they offer. The children are encouraged to explore creative hobbies and engage in cultural activities as well as participate in self-esteem and self-development programs.
Dagmar Garroux, the founder of Casa do Zezinho, and known as Tia Dag, describes it as, "A house where we learn with children, and children learn with us, how to open the doors which are usually closed by poverty." Casa do Zezinho provides a sheltered place for the children to play and learn. It is a place where children receive attention, affection, nutrition and education. It is a place where they can find hope.
Their programs include the graphic arts: mosaic, paper recycling art, woodworking, ceramics and silk screening—as well as the performing arts: theater, dance, musical instruments, and singing. Instead of dead end roads, the children are shown the way to make positive choices for their own future.
Casa do Zezinho currently enrolls 1,200 children. Yet, they have more than 2,000 on the waiting list. Cultural Care will help them with the sale of the childrens' handicrafts and the production of local performances, which will allow them to expand their program and reach out to many more "at risk" children.
