Salão do Encontro

Salão do Encontro began some thirty years ago as a vocational training program for poor and disabled adults, and it still serves some 300 adults who earn a salary learning arts and crafts. However, Salão soon found that it needed to serve the children of these poor, often homeless adults. It now provides day care and education for 600 children each day.

The geography of the children’s space is magnificent, on a wooded hill below the workshops. Small buildings, playgrounds, and a circus tent dot the woods. Children circulate among the spaces during “escola complementar,” not so much an after-school program as an addition to school. Children learn circus and theater, arts and crafts (some quite good), and reading and writing. Children who wish can be integrated into the adult workshops as they become older.

Salão also keeps an organic farm which provides food for the cafeteria and medicinal plants for the doctor. Animals include rabbits and goats.

30 professional teachers make up the staff, and several more provide care for infants.

Rua João da Silva Santos, Número 34
32630-730, Bairro Santa Lúcia, Betim
Minas Gerais

031 3532 4911/ fax 031 3532 5100

Contact: Naomi Gontijo, President. salaodoencontro@terra.com.br

www.caleidescopio.art.br/salaodoencontro.htm, lamentably, as of January of 2003, the email address and website failed to work, and Shine a light has been unable to find a replacement.