Nestled between rainforest-clad cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean, Rio de Janeiro is as dramatic as it is breathtaking. The city on the eastern coast of South America is characterized by stunning architecture, famous Carnival celebrations, mouthwatering cuisine, and of course, beautiful beaches. Ipanema and Copacabana, two of the world’s most renowned beaches, anchor Rio's 45 miles of sandy white shorelines.

Just minutes from this stunning natural beauty and wealth, however, is the poverty of Rio’s shantytowns, or favelas. Economic disparity is evident throughout these areas, where government aid—including health care and public education—is rare if not entirely absent.

The Situation
Economic difficulties, a lack of governmental support, and neighborhoods controlled by drug lords have all led to the depressed spirit and lack of opportunities evident in Rio’s favelas. Children and teenagers who live in these urban slums are surrounded with violence and drug trafficking. Many have dropped out of school and turn to theft for survival. Most families lack basic necessities and face a day-to-day struggle to get by.

What’s Being Done
Our partner organization works with more than 40 civil organizations and NGOs around Rio de Janeiro. They work to build the local people’s self-esteem, dignity, and citizenship through educational campaigns, cultural events, and informational meetings.

What You Can Do
Volunteers on our Community Development Program can help spread information to the public through different educational campaigns. For example, you can help people better understand disease prevention through health campaigns. By arranging excursions for children and teenagers outside of the community, volunteers can introduce these underprivileged youths to a reality outside their daily lives. On holidays like “São João” – Saint John’s Day – Easter, or Children’s Day, volunteers can help promote festivities with the people within the community. Your efforts will leave a lasting imprint on the spirit of these disadvantaged people.

Orientation:
You will participate in a program orientation on your first Monday. This will take place at our language school in Rio at 10:30 am. If you enrolled for a program that includes language lessons, you should be at the language school at 8:30 am.

On Tuesday, a project coordinator will meet you at the language school at 1 pm and accompany you to the program site. That first day, you will receive a tour of the facilities and observe the tasks with which you may be helping. You and the program coordinator will then determine a schedule based on your interest and where help is needed. You can expect to leave no later than 5 pm.


Language Classes:

Volunteers enrolled in the Complete package will be taking Portuguese language classes at BridgeBrazil, our affiliate language school in Rio. For more efficient placement upon your arrival, we ask that you take our Online Portuguese Placement Test to determine your language proficiency. If this is not possible, we will test you upon arrival at the school.

For the rest of your time in Rio, you will be in a group of four or fewer students, learning conversational Portuguese for four hours a day*. After class hours, you will go directly to the project site for your volunteer experience. During your work, you will be able to practice your Portuguese skills as well as interact with the favela children and experience their culture.

* Class time for groups of three or fewer students will be reduced from four to three hours per day.

Accommodations:
Basic: Volunteers selecting the Basic package will be responsible for arranging their own accommodation.
Standard and Complete: Volunteers will choose to stay in either a hostel or with a Brazilian host family. Hostel accommodations include breakfast. Host family accommodations include a private room and two meals per day (breakfast and dinner). Commute time to the project varies, but may be up to 30-60 minutes, depending on your placement. If you opt to stay with a host family, you will be glad to know that our host families are carefully screened and must meet Volunteer Adventures' requirements before being accepted as a host family. You will be given a key to your host family's home to come and go as you please.

Meals:
Basic: Volunteers selecting the Basic package will be responsible for arranging their own meals.
Standard and Complete: Hostel serves breakfast only. Host family provides two meals a day, breakfast and dinner.

Excursions:
Although you will be serving the community for most of your time in Brazil, there may be time for some sightseeing. Below are a few of the trips that the school organizes for students and volunteers, schedule permitting. Students are expected to pay their own transportation costs and entrance fees.

Christ the Redeemer Statue – Located atop the Corcovado Mountain, this is one of the world's best-known and most-visited monuments. Botanical Gardens – Visit Rio's impressive Botanical Gardens, home to outstanding examples of plant life from Brazil and the rest of the world. Sugar Loaf Mountain – The views are spectacular from Rio's most famous landmark, which stands at the entrance of Guanabara Bay. Modern Art Museum – Situated on the water close to downtown, this museum houses some 1,700 paintings, sculptures and engravings.

Activities:
During your free time in Rio de Janeiro, you will have the opportunity to participate in the following activities:

Seminars about the country, the Portuguese language, history, geography and culture.
Afternoon cultural tours and excursions to the surrounding area.
Social outings with students and volunteers to local bars and restaurants to practice your newfound language skills and to meet more new people.

In-Country Support:
We work directly with our partner organization to provide support during your time in Brazil. You can expect help from project coordinators, field guides, fellow volunteers, and the staff of both Volunteer Adventures and BridgeBrazil. We also provide a 24-hour cell phone number for emergencies.