Bahia Street News
May 21, 2007 | Margaret WillsonDear Friends,
It has been too long since you received news from Bahia Street, perhaps because so much has been going on both here and in Salvador. Before we slow down for the summer, I wanted to take a moment to share with you what is happening at the Bahia Street Center and with Bahia Street outside of Brazil.
Rita and I were discussing the start of the school year in March, and Rita noted that she now had more girls than ever before, putting a strain on the budget and building, and generally straining the energy level of the school. Then she told me that she had enrolled 61 girls! When I asked about the number, Rita exclaimed that she simply couldn’t turn the additional girls away. “You’re not the one having to turn them away!” she said to me. So many more girls are now being referred to the Center than we could ever possibly accommodate. The fact that the building reconstruction is essentially completed allows more of the space to be used to benefit these additional students.
The students are now able to learn capoeira at the Center in part because of the additional space we have, but also because of continuing support of /Grupo de Capoeira Senzala Seattle/. They raised another $5,000 at the second annual “Rites of Change” performance event in Seattle, which will fund uniforms, instruments, and the teacher for this school year. Rita was fortunate to be able to hire a female capoeira master, Linda, who comes from a similar background as the girls. She gives the girls yet another role model to hers who transcends the debilitating effects of poverty. It is revolutionary to have a female capoeira instructor given the historically male dominance of capoeira in Brazil. The program promotes physical health, strength in self defense, and pride in their African-Brazilian heritage. Every girl who is physically able plays capoeira now at the Center.
With more girls and new programs, we are working on ways to support the Center beyond raising funds. In late fall 2006, we began the library project based on Rita’s expressed need for books to fill the library at the Center. Brazil is notorious for its lack of libraries that serve the poor, which coupled with the relatively high cost of books, is indicative of the low literacy rates for Brazil’s poor. Bahia Street did not have the funds to fill the library, so we began looking for opportunities to receive donated books for the Center. Our first grant came from Alibris, which awarded Bahia Street $1,000 to buy English language books. With this money, we bought easy readers and ESL texts to support our volunteer ESL program. Other books continue to arrive from Alibris’ Donate-A-Book program (http://www.alibris.com/wish/donate-a-book.cfm). On the Portuguese language side, I have been working closely with Bloomsbury Publishing Company editorial director Sarah Odedina in securing donations from Brazilian publishers, such as Companhia das Letras and Editora Rocco, among others. Additionally, Seattle volunteer Melanie Wyffels lined up language kits from Yazigi language centers.
Just when we thought that we were wrapping up the library project, the phone rang. Dr. Mitchell Davis learned about Bahia Street through Alibris. He called the office and asked how to buy 500 books for the school, offering $2,500 to fund Portuguese language books in Salvador. Dr. Davis has a strong interest in health and nutrition and inquired about the Center’s nutrition program. Learning that we can provide the only meal a day that the girls usually receive, he offered funds for a second meal as well. Dr. Davis sent $15,000 last month, one of the largest individual donations ever received by Bahia Street. Dr. Davis told Nancy that one of the reasons he supports Bahia Street is because it is a small organization where a donation of this size has a significant impact on the lives of the people being served. His generosity also demonstrates the power of the Internet for small non-profits to connect with a community of people beyond our hubs of activity.
Increasingly, we are working on projects that extend our experiences with poverty, race, and international development into different disciplines. One such project is our partnership with the University of Washington Department of Chemistry, which is running an “Exploration Seminar” to Salvador in August 2007. Led by Dr. Richard Gammon, “Chemistry, Climate Change, and Culture” will focus on the science, public policy, and social justice issues surrounding the topic of global warming and climate change. Bahia Street is a key partner in the project because a knowledge of local culture is critical in the implementation of climate change solutions, and many of the people most affected by climate change are the rural and urban poor: shantytown residents, fishermen, and subsistence farmers. Students will be visiting the Bahia Street Center, having homestays with university students in Santo Antonio de Jesus, and meeting local people in Arembepe, a fishing village north of Salvador.
And finally, a few activities to mark on your calendar! Bahia Street will have a table at the *All Nations Cup* soccer event during the weekend of *July 21 and 22* at Fort Dent Park in Tukwila. We will also have a table at *Brasilfest* on *August 19* at Seattle Center. Please email info@bahiastreet.org for volunteer opportunities—there will be many!
This gives you a taste of all that is going on. While this means that we are very busy, it is exciting to see our programs energize others to work for change in Brazil and beyond. This past week, we participated in a program about international NGO management—an event organized by our present interns—and we were struck by the poise, thoughtfulness, and sense of activism of our former interns serving on the event’s panel. Bahia Street inspired each of them in a different way, and they in turn inspire us to broaden our educational programs outside of Brazil. I feel surrounded now by the growth, the energy, and the dynamic force that Bahia Street has become. You and all involved with Bahia Street have made this possible. And we are standing on the verge of so much more. It is exciting. We can all be delighted and proud of this in our lives.
Happy summer and laughter,
Margaret
–
Dr. Margaret Willson
International Director
