On November 22 the Fundação Banco do Brasil hosted in Brasilia its sixth “Social Technology Award”, a program through which the Foundation identifies and acknowledges creative and innovative nonprofit efforts promoting social development. The 2011 edition had 1116 nominees competing in 9 categories for the opportunity of becoming one of 264 “certified social technologies” in Brazil. Two organizations with which BrazilFoundation has been working since 2006 were among the 27 finalists announced last week.
The award for the Northeast Region was taken by the Center for Popular Education and Social Formation (Centro de Educação Popular e Formação Social – CEPFS), for developing a Community Seed Bank program in the rural municipality of Teixeira, Paraíba. The seed bank is an important resource for local agriculture and fundamental in the work towards local food security. The program also represents a forum in which families exchange ideas and collaborate on community-managed ways to improve living conditions in this semiarid region.
José Dias, representative of CEPFS, says the award was “arecognition of the accomplishments of communities and families who are working together to transform challenges into opportunities, and tapping into the potential of the semiarid climate to create better living conditions, sustainable and in harmony with the environment”.
Studio of Ideas (Ateliê de Ideias) received the Southeast Region award for their work in Vitória, Espirito Santo, with Echoes of Good:Environmental Education in the Land of the Good. The program raises awareness on waste management and recycling through educational campaigns, hosts capacity development activities for community leaders and organizes community cleaning of public spaces.
Congratulations to CEPFS and Ateliê de Ideias for yet another achievement. BrazilFoundation is proud to be part of your work.
