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August 2003
"Knowledge is as wings to
man's life and a ladder for his
ascent".
The educational initiatives of
the Association for the Cohesive
Development of the Amazon (ADCAM)
are giving wings to the poorest
and most disadvantaged families
of the Amazon. Founded in 1985,
ADCAM has grown from a small orphanage
to a school serving more than 500
children per day.
While operating the orphanage in
a poor neighbourhood of Manaus
(the capital city of the State
of Amazonas, Brazil), the directors
of ADCAM decided to start a preschool
for the orphans and open it to
the surrounding community. One
day, several children of about
11 years of age arrived at the
orphanage. The directors thought
they had come to register their
younger brothers and sisters for
the preschool. In fact, these children
had come to ask the directors to
start a class for them.
Having left their small river villages
looking to improve their lives
in Manaus, these poor children
and their families settle in fast-spreading
shanty towns, piecing together
whatever shelters they can, living
lives of extreme deprivation. Many
of the children cannot start public
school because they cannot read
and write. Without a place to study,
and no way to make a living, these
children fall prey to the life
of the street with the influence
of drugs, prostitution and crime.
Through the heartfelt plea of these
11-year-old children, the directors
of ADCAM understood the immediate
and urgent need to open a formal
school with basic education andvocational
training. Today, the school serves
more than 500 children with plans
to serve 4,000 students within
five years. Partners for Prosperity
has assisted ADCAM in applying
to the Canada Fund for funds to
help build two additional classrooms.
[Nov. 2003] ADCAM has received
confirmation from the Canada Fund
for Local Initiatives that they
will receive $25,000 for the construction
of two classrooms for their Extracurricular
Adolescent Program (7-18 years)
old. This will allow the program
to expand and give the students
a place to hold their programming
in dance, drama, sports, and computors.
This program that operates as an
after school program provides services
to Brazils street children, the
'poorest of the poor'.
How you can help!
You can be a part of this exciting
project that is creating hope and
the promise of a brighter future.
Next year ADCAM could admit 160
more of the poorest children and
teenagers if more funds were available.
A scholarship for an elementary
or high school student is only
$500 per year. For a university
student, the scholarship is $1,000
per year. In addition to financial
contributions, you can also volunteer
your time at the school (email )
or you can simply offer encouragement
by corresponding with one or more
of the students. Education is the
key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
For more information on how you
can help, please call (512) 257-0135
ext.103.
(ADCAM's website is at www.monafoundation.org/projects/adcam) |
