Random Quotes

‘Initially some of these communities look so down hearted, wondering ‘what can we do for ourselves?’ Then you go back after three months and you see these women singing and dancing and working together’

— Shupayi Mpunga

Brazil

House of Passage, Recife Population: 191,341,355
Capital: Brasilia
Life expectancy: 72 years
GNI per capita: $3,000
Literacy: 88%
Under 5s mortality: 34 per 1000 live births
Brazil is the fifth-largest and ninth-wealthiest country in the world, yet 54 million Brazilians live below the poverty line. The gap between rich and poor in Brazil is one of the most extreme in the world, with the wealthiest 10% enjoying more of the national income than the poorest 50%. An estimated 44 million people suffer from hunger and lack of access to basic services such as health care, education, sanitation and food.

Our work

We support the House of Passage, in Recife, North East Brazil. Its programme is providing hope to the young girls living on the streets or in the slum communities of this bustling tourist town. Many face violence, drugs and sexual abuse in their daily lives.

House of Passage gives them a safe haven, vocational training, regular meals and access to health services. The young girls are encouraged to find new educational and income opportunities, many being trained in fashion design and manufacturing. They are assisted to get jobs. With new skills and confidence, the girls are helping provide food for their families, avoiding drug and alcohol addictions and looking forward to the future with hope.

"The best things about House of Passage are the health care, counselling, professional training and learning new skills," says one young woman benefitting from the programme. "It is very beautiful and noble work." Her life has turned around from having to exchange sex for food on the streets to becoming a skilled seamstress and finding new job opportunities.

Our partner

House of Passage
www.casadepassagem.org.br/