With past fundraising, we've been able to partner with Arte Sauve on the renovation of what was a dilapidated warehouse in northeast Brazil. It is now a functional training center serving over 150 students in an under-resourced community plagued by poverty, violence, and drug trafficking. This program also offers Jiu Jitsu classes, mentorship, food for hungry students, and monthly outreaches offering food to the homeless and those in need within the community.
Phase II of the renovation, beginning this Spring, is to tackle the second floor. Our goal is build out the second floor for classroom space where we will be able to expand the program offerings to include after-school tutoring, English and music classes and other extra-curricular activities. There will be a lounge area for students to hangout, a kitchen and eating area for community outreach, and an area for short-term visitors and volunteers to stay.
This program and the Arte Suave leaders are literally savings lives and transforming the surrounding neighborhoods. Running classes in a total of 6 impoverished locations throughout the city (5 of these locations in borrowed spaces) the Arte Suave program trains over 400 students. Training centers like these are a safe place for youth to come and an invaluable resource to the surrounding neighborhoods.
We are raising funds to help renovate this space which will become DreamRoot's primary training center where we will be able to train and equip other local leaders, receive volunteers, and transform the lives of hundreds more underprivileged kids, youth, and adults.
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