project

"Projeto Maria de Barro" is a NGO which promote social and environmental local development projects since September 1999. The main project aims to recover extremely eroded soils, developing and applying new environmental technologies. They also create jobs in a poor community and promote environmental conscience. It is located in a very small and not developed town called Nazareno.

More information about the organisation can be found at(http://www.projetomariadebarro.org.br)

The volunteers will be involved in 3 kinds of work - production of forest seedlings, collecting forest seeds and planting seedlings.

Short lectures on the activities held by the "Projeto Maria de Barro" and other related issues will be held. During the 2 weekends, SVI Brasil team will offer to the volunteers a workshop on "Global Communities Formation".

All the volunteers will be accommodated in the Projeto Maria de Barro lodge, it is a big building where many of the organisation activities are done. There will be very basic facilities there: dormitory, bathroom, toilet and kitchen. Enough food will also be available for the volunteers in the lodge. The volunteer will prepare themselves their own meals.

It is necessary that the volunteers are able to communicate basically in Portuguese, in order to promote a higher interaction with the Maria de Barro team and the Nazareno people; and also in order to join the workshop on "Global Communities Formation". If the volunteer speaks good Spanish and is able to communicate with Brazilians speaking Portuguese, we encourage her/him to apply.

Nazareno is a lovely very small town with only 7,000 inhabitants, what is very small for a Brazilian standard. Nazareno is not well developed, although it is nearby important towns such as Lavras or São João Del Rey. It is located in the centre-south of Minas Gerais State and can be reached by bus from Belo Horizonte. Arrival details will be described in the infosheet. The people from Nazareno are very simple, rural and hospitable. They will be very curious about your international backgrounds!

There is no maximun age limit. We prefer volunteers not younger than 21 years old. Exceptions can be done if well justified. There is a placement fee of EUR 150,00 to be paid by the incoming volunteer on the arrival day to cover SVI Brasil administrative expenses during the whole year. SVI Brasil is a not-for-profit NGO and its financial administration will be soon available to be checked on-line by everyone interested. Feel free also to ask any clarification you want about how the placement fees are used by SVI Brasil. We strive to be an example of transparency.