Unmissable with its bright yellow exterior and giant moon sculpture mounted above the roof, Casa Amarela welcomes families throughout the favela Morro da Providência for educational, artistic, and cultural programming all year round. The center promotes community development, offering classes in dance, music, computer skills, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, English-language learning, writing, skateboarding, and so much more.
Casa Amarela Providência was founded by JR and Brazilian photographer Maurício Hora in 2009.
Participants
Per Week
Families
Directly Impacted
Classes
Annually
Casa Amarela’s Kekerês group welcomes children aged 3 to 7 for weekly sessions that foster early childhood development through interactive learning. Classes focus on literacy, social skills development, music, movement, and dance. Health lessons teach personal hygiene and emotional awareness, helping children address emotional and behavioral issues in a supportive environment.
The Erês group offers programming for children 8 to 13 years old. Their classes teach alphabetization, English, computer skills, music, and hip hop. Many students' projects revolve around ethno-racial history and pride, exploring African cultural influences in Brazil. Their sports activities include boxing, Afro dance, and skateboarding.
The Somodé group at Casa Amarela embodies a holistic approach to youth development, offering classes to 14 to 18 year olds about health education, computer programming, creative-writing, and literature. The program addresses critical issues such as early pregnancy while fostering self-awareness and autonomy. Entrepreneurship classes offer activities in which students practice interviewing and design their own businesses, empowering them to plan for their future. Many classes for this group explore Afro-Brazilian values and societal issues through cinema, art, and books, supporting youth in navigating their identities.
Launched in 2020, the group Mulheres Independentes da Providência (MiP) spurs social and economic transformation, fostering women’s creative potential and equipping them with the skills necessary to generate their own income. In the past three years, over 70 women (aged 18 to 65) have graduated from professional training courses offered at Casa, including culinary arts, sewing, fashion, aesthetics, hairdressing, and craft-making. Additionally, women have taken classes in alphabetization, mathematics, design, creative writing, communications and journalism as well as received mental and physical health support.
From introducing children to their first letters to teaching music and providing nutritious meals, Casa Amarela takes a holistic approach to community development. Your support enables the center to offer essential health services, enriching arts programs, digital literacy training, and more, empowering the next generation to thrive and succeed. Help us grow our impact and transform lives.
