Projeto Meninos e Meninas de Rua de São Bernardo do Campo
The Projeto Meninos e Meninas de Rua de São Bernardo do Campo (henceforth SB) is one of the oldest programs for street kids in São Paulo province. In addition to excellent services, its work with protagonismo infantil and its political work should be a model for programs around Latin America.
SB does extensive and excellent work on the street; co-ed teams of three are assigned to at-risk areas around the poor suburb of São Bernardo. They emphasize respect for the kids, and then encourage children to come to the drop-in center. Programs at the center include
- Circus
- Theater
- sports, esp soccer and basketball
- capoeira
- drums and music
- an escola de samba, one of the best in the city
The center also provides food, case management, psychological help, and family services (if and only if the children request it).
SB works with some 50 families who have a history of children running away. They provide job and family counseling, help with getting government services, health, and housing. This project has reduced the number of children on the street.
The real strength of SB is in the “Preparing Children for Citizenship” program. SB believes that children must be subjects of their own destiny, both personally and politically. Educators work in four different community “nuclei,” favelas where children have the greatest chance of running away. They work together with a group already in the community, which gives SB respectability and a space to use.
The groups of children talk about the problems in their neighborhoods and try to solve them. These could be family issues, questions of drug trafficking, sexual identity, pregnancy, drug use... or imperialism, music, and the meaning of life. The point is to show children that they are not guilty of the problems that beset them, and that they can find solutions on a local and national level.
SB encourages these local groups to become involved on a city-wide level, to appeal to the Conselho Tutelar, and to participate in demonstrations and lobbying. Though this is often difficult because of a political passivity endemic to dwellers of th favelas, SB always brings more participants to city-wide demonstrations than anyone else. They are known in São Paulo as the one NGO that can really mobilize children.
Hip-hop has become a major influence in the Brasilian favelas, and SB attempts to use this culture to encourage political action. The front of the drop-in center is covered with a graffiti painting of Nelson Mandela, and clients compose protest raps. SB is, however, concerned that this American phenomenon might undermine more autochthonous expressions of Brasilianness.
SB’s drop-in center serves 150 children per day, quite a few for a relatively small suburb. More significantly, over the last several years, the total number of children sleeping on the streets of São Bernardo has greatly diminished as kids have learned “that it’s just not that interesting.” Even so, about 25 children are completely resistant to all efforts, and SB does not know how to reach them.
SB gives a regular course for kids and activists: “How does society work?” The program is designed to make children aware of the dynamics of power and oppression, and how to overcome them. These children then become peer educators and leaders in the community.
The program integrates the community into its work through “open Saturdays” when anyone is invited for food, music, and soccer. This project brings street kids into the community and gives them an opportunity to show off.
Relations with the local government are difficult; for many years, SB stood on the outside and condemned human rights violations, uncaring, etc. However, a new government offered SB a contract to help the city, and now the program is trying to figure out how to be critical but also constructive. Unfortunately, it has become dependent on the city contract. Nonetheless, SB has learned that government is plural and diverse, and that some people in the municipality do have good intentions.
Rua Jurabatuba 1610
Centro, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo
09725-001 SP
Contacto: Edson
pmmr-sb@netstar.com.br
tel-fax 11 4339 1476
