When a pilot program aimed at street kids from the slums of São Paulo was launched last September, it kicked off in the unlikely location of Pinheiros, one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city.
"That's where the kids go, because they're guaranteed to get money there," explained Angela Danneman, director of the newly created Instituto Rukha, which is mounting an ambitious effort to assist street kids and their families at risk in the favelas, or squatters' settlements, of São Paulo.
The Pinheiros example illustrates the creative manner in which Instituto Ruhka is addressing persistent problems in Brazilian society. The project is a central undertaking of Rukha, founded with more than $13 million in seed capital from São Paulo-based philanthropist and technology entrepreneur Marcos de Moraes. The name Rukha was inspired by a Biblical passage and is an Aramaic term that means "breath of life."
De Moraes is well known to Brazilians as the founder of Internet service provider Zip.Net; the sale of the company in 2000 was the largest Internet deal to date in Brazil. More than just a successful entrepreneur, de Moraes, 38, has also been a champion of efforts to "democratize the Web." Under his leadership, Zip.Net extended free Internet services to students and teachers in more than 6,000 schools in the state of São Paulo. De Moraes also serves on the board of The Synergos Institute and is a member of its Global Philanthropists Circle.
Mobilizing diverse community stakeholders with a common aim
Through his latest philanthropic project, Instituto Rukha, de Moraes aims to mobilize a diverse group of community stakeholders to address a complex range of problems including housing, health, education, domestic violence, substance abuse and exploitative child labor.
"In São Paulo, there are numerous institutions doing a very good job and making a difference, but they're not doing it together. We are trying to create a circle of complementarity that will operate for a long period of time to address the interconnected problems faced by these children and their families," said Danneman. (Danneman also serves on the board of Brazil's first community foundation, Instituto Rio -- see related story.)
Rukha has assembled at least 14 community partners, including NGOs, businesses, private individuals and the public sector. In the pilot phase, trained outreach personnel from a partner nongovernmental organization (NGO), Fundação Projecto Travessia, will individually approach a target group of 100 children "working" on the streets, in activities such as begging, cleaning windshields, and selling candy, in an effort to gain their trust.
If the child expresses a desire to leave the streets, Rukha will work with its NGO partners to offer a range of support services to the children and their families, for a period of up to five years. The aim is to reintegrate families and build their capacity to return to their respective natural roles--playing and learning for children, and supporting and providing for parents and other adult family members.
Creating a climate of trust among São Paulo's most vulnerable residents
Once the family's trust and commitment is gained, the fund created by de Moraes will help subsidize monthly stipends to the family of up to $100, based on the child's participation in a range of developmental activities.
With an estimated 3,000 children and youth living on the streets of São Paulo, Rukha is seeking to widen its impact through more extensive networks of collaboration. "It's not a new social project, it's meant to be a mobilization process. We are putting together a group of NGOs and other institutions, including businesses, private individuals and the public sector, while avoiding duplication of efforts," Danneman said.
De Moraes is planning a widespread public awareness campaign emphasizing that "giving money to street kids is not only wasted, but harmful. We want to redirect resources in a constructive way. We have to show society we can create an alternative way of life for these kids," he said. The campaign aims to raise awareness and possibly additional funding for the program.
As Danneman puts it, "Lot's of people have money but Marcos believes in using it to help society. He wants to stimulate change and he wants others to add to it."
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