Iriades (Community Education Nuclei)

The city of Goiánia runs 14 after/before school programs for children in favelas. In addition to supplementing formal education, the programs work to prevent youth homelessness by providing a place to be and a structure for self-esteem.

Because school in Brasil is a half-day affair (either morning or afternoon, never both), poor children with working parents usually end up on the street for half of the day. Iriades, like after school programs throughout Brasil, provides a ludic and educational space for these children, as well as food, workshops, and socialization. Parents are also integrated into the program; once a week they must come to talk with staff, do workshops, and show commitment to their children. The program is in high demand, and there is a long waiting list.

Iriades generally enters into contracts with churches, using their space during the week; some also use local community centers. Unfortunately, large common spaces are uncommon in the favelas. As another point of contact with the community, directors attempt to hire as many staff members as possible from the favela; this generally works only with non-professionals.

Each center serves 150 children a day, half morning, half afternoon. Children range from 6-14 yrs.

Reflection is part of Brasilian popular education, so for half an hour each day, children sit with staff to talk about what they have learned, what they would like to change, how they feel, etc. Unfortunately, staff seem ill-trained to run these reflection groups, so they seem more like authoritarian sessions than anything Paulo Freire would have imagined. The director laments that the city has not invested in training.

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