KIDS Worldwide South America

Casa do Caminho is adapting to the needs of it's community. With over 27 years of experience in Xerem, Duque de Caxias, Casa do Caminho now is more and more focusing on education and culture for it's residents and surrounding community. Education in the region is limited and only few reach university. For the majority of teenagers and young adults the step from high school to university is too big, and attending quality vocational courses costly. A quality course which in the end could result in possible job opportunities costs approximately 300 - 500 R$ which is the same as the brazilian minimum wage. Asside from these problems there are hardly any cultural or recreational activities available in Xerém giving teenagers and young adults at risk nothing else to do than hanging around, using drugs or being sexual active at an age to young and unprepared causing the risk of of sexual diseases and adolescent parents.
The overall objective of the Culture Center is to benefit the entire community by exchanging knowledge and resources. The priority hereby is to increase the education and culture level and provide growth & work opportunities for the disadvantaged youth of Xerém.

In February 2010 Casa do Caminho opened it's new Cultural Centre near the central praça Mantiqueira of Xerém. We are already offering: Theater, Music classes, Guitar classes, dance, Yoga, sexual education, maths, handcrafts,  Visual Arts, English and Spanish.
Our aim is that at least 50% of the courses are offered entirely free of cost for the people in need. People who can afford our 50 R$ monthly fees can pay for the course. These funds will be used to run the Culture Centre with the objective of the Culture Centre being self-sustaining within 6 months.
For more information visit the cultural centre website  
 
At Sede we opened a similar centre called "Centro Comunitária e Esportivo" where we offer a number of courses, activities and which should be a meeting place for the community. For more information about the courses, projects and events organized at this project please visit The Casa Comunitária Blog .