Volunteering in Rio de Janeiro living the local life
Volunteering in Rio de Janeiro living the local life.
Riiiiiiooooo de Janeeeeiiiroooo!!!! When I think of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, I instantly think of the immense annual carnival and a party is already in my head. Guarded by the giant statue Christ the Redeemer, or Cristo Redentor, and its famous beaches Copacabana and Ipanema, the city of Rio de Janeiro seems to have it all. However, in the shadow of the exciting buzzling city life and tourist attractions such as Escadaria Selarón and Santa Teresa, Rio is unfortunately also well-known for something less exciting; the favelas. It is estimated that around 12 million people are living in favelas across the country. The people that live in such a ‘slum’ live under poor conditions often without sanitation etc. However, life here is getting better and big differences can be noticed in the favelas itself. Not all of them are only for the poorest in Rio, for example Rocinha (the biggest favela area of Rio), has developed into a city within a city. There are shops, hospitals, banks, schools and more!
In the 1990’s people started with offering tours for tourists or others interested in the life in the farvelas, to make people more aware about the living conditions and show and experience a whole different side of Rio de Janeiro. With the money derived from the tours, volunteer projects are set up and supported and used for the local development.
If you are interested in doing volunteer work in Brazil and in particular Rio, you came to the right spot! We offer projects adapted to your wishes and interests. During your volunteering you get in close contact with the locals and get acquainted with their culture. When you want to make yourself useful in helping nature, we offer a project where you help within a tropical forest in an urban area. With this project you could be helping planting trees, guided visits and reintegrating animal species. If you prefer working with people, we offer social projects in Rio. We have a great project which helps and supports children and youngsters from underprivileged families. Help them with their English, play sports or look after the little ones in the nursery!
Please be aware that Brazil, even though located in South America, is a country where Portuguese is spoken and no Spanish! For most projects it is advisable to learn some basic Portuguese. There we recommend our optional Portuguese Language Program in advance. Here you will learn the basics so that you will be able to communicate better with the locals and optimize your experience. Go volunteering in Rio de Janeiro; a place with countless opportunities!
