Despite the intense rain in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, over 5 thousand Volunteers worked on V Day 2009 in actions that benefitted over 40 thousand people (see consolidated data). The “Festival de los Niños” in Sechura, Peru, the planting of native seedlings in Canaã and Parauapebas, in Pará, the Christmas party in an orphanage in Maputo, Mozambique, and the setting up of play centers in Minas Gerais were some of the actions that took place in 30 cities in three countries. In Brazil V Day mobilized Vale Volunteers from nine States.(see consolidated data).

PERU

The Peruvian Vale Volunteers spent the morning of V Day in Mala Vida Sur, in Sechura, where they gathered over 500 people (children and their parents) at the “Festival de los Niños”. The event practically mobilized the entire Fosfato de Bayóvar project: employees, managers, outsourced workers. Companies were hired to supply vehicles for the transportation of the children to the location where the action took place. Another supplier set up 12 chemical bathrooms. In total, 15 partners helped achieve the “Festival de los Niños”.
It was a set of activities aimed at disseminating the Rights of Children with lots of music and games. Through group dynamics and a play, the volunteers emphasized each of the 10 fundamental rights of children. A dance completed the festival, which was concluded with the distribution of gifts to the children.

MOZAMBIQUE

In Tete, where the Carvão Moatize Project is located, V Day took place on December 1st to coincide with the World AIDS Day. The Vale Volunteers from Mozambique worked in an orphanage in São José de Cluny, which houses 50 children, mostly orphans whose parents were victims of the AIDS epidemic. They brought donations (powdered milk, chocolate powder, toothpaste and toothbrushes) and promoted a morning with the children, with games, music, dance, and guidance on mouth hygiene. The volunteers partnered with a theater group that helped liven up the party and put on a play to show the importance of brushing teeth. A snack was served at the end, provided by the partner “Le Petit Café”, the most popular cake store in Tete.

In the capital, Maputo, 20 volunteers transformed V Day into a Christmas party for the children in the Arco Íris orphanage and neighboring communities, with a total of 150 children.

With the place completely decorated by the volunteers, the children drew, had fun in the inflated castles, and participated in games led by two clowns, while others had their faces painted. But they also did their part, rehearsing a dance that was presented at the event. At the end the volunteers gave away gifts.

BRAZIL
Mato Grosso do Sul

Vale Volunteers that work in the Mineração Corumbaense and Urucum Corumbuá units went 80 km down the Paraguay river to work with the riverside community Porto Esperança. The action was made possible by a partnership with the Navy that, along with supplying river transportation, also contributed with 40 volunteers, amongst them a doctor and dentist. Many other partners joined in, including beauty salons from Corumbá and companies hired by Vale. In total, 90 volunteers, including six hairdressers, spent the day in Porto Esperança developing action for the local population, such as medical and dental care, haircuts, games with the children, and activities aimed and recycling.

Rio de Janeiro
In the capital of Rio this year’s V Day gathered over 120 volunteers. Colleagues working at the Barão de Mauá Building (EBM), downtown, joined those from the Shared Services Center (CSC), in Barra da Tijuca, in two actions.

At Aliança dos Cegos, located in Maracanã, the climax was during the presentation of one of the inmates, who sung two songs written by her, in a moving tribute to the volunteers, followed by a presentation of the Vale Chorus. The volunteers visited the plant where the blind manufacture brooms and through which they maintain the institution, spoke to the inmates, and later had lunch with them.

At the Casa da Tia Edith, in Piedade, there were a lot of games, art workshops, and competitions with the institution’s 34 children. The morning was completed with a snack and the distribution of gifts.

In Mangaratiba, 110 Vale Volunteers who work in the Portos Sul complex spent the morning with 120 children and teenagers from three local institutions at the Sahy Club. With the participation of fifteen partners, they organized a program that included the distribution of snacks, storytelling, clown, art workshop, brushing of teeth and use of dental hygiene, recreational activities for the different age groups, and Santa Claus, who gave away gifts.

The activity almost had to be cancelled. The buses promised by the Mayor’s Office to transport the children did not show up. The problem was solved by using the Transturismo buses, a partner of the volunteers.

Minas Gerais

Intense rains in Minas Gerais greatly affected V Day in that State. Many activities had to be cancelled; others had to be transferred inside. The Volunteers from the Brucutu Network (São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo) did not have V Day because all actions were programmed for the outdoors court in a school.

It rained a lot in Mariana. Because of that, the two actions scheduled in Antônio Pereira (leisure street and group action to build the roof of a house) had to be cancelled.

But in Bento Rodrigues the volunteers were able to put the toys and the popcorn and cotton candy carts in the gym and the playful activity was carried out, despite the problems. In another neighborhood, Santa Rita, the rain did not lessen the excitement: the popcorn and cotton candy carts were safe inside the school and the children did not stop playing, despite the rain.

In the State School Santa Godoy, where the volunteers had scheduled a group action for electric repair, they identified other problems for which they did not have sufficient material: they will complete the work during the week.

The painting of decorative elements in the patio and the activities in the play center and library were carried out, but the increase of the garden had to be cancelled because of the rain.

In the activity with the children from the Lar Estrela Home even the driver that management took for the team participated. He was there to work, but he also dove in and played with the children and took pictures.

In Brumadinho, the Vale Volunteers from the Córrego do Feijão mine were not intimidated by the rain. Quite the opposite, they dove in and with the support of managers, supervisors, relatives, friends, and people from the community, they made V Day in the Municipal Sports Court a success. 30 actions were developed in total, amongst them legal aid, issuing of 79 work cards, 500 registered to donate bone marrow, donation of 17 basic food baskets, workshops and lectures, presentation of musical groups, games, and distribution of candy for the children. In total, 4 thousand people were benefitted.

Vale Volunteers working in* Congonha*s had planned actions for six different locations, but due to the intense rain they were only able to work in three. The cancelled actions will take place in January, dates to be defined.
In the Reciclando Vidas Project, which aids approximately 130 children and adolescents in Murtinho and other close by neighborhoods, 110 volunteers concluded the construction of bathrooms and the placement of the floor, tiles, and toilets.

63 volunteers worked in two neighborhoods in Congonhas collecting food, clothing, and toys to be distributed to 400 families registered in the Congonhas Social Welfare and in the São Vicente de Paula Society by 12/20.
Another group participated in the activities in Conselheiro Lafaiete, with volunteers from Dima-MG.

In Conselheiro Lafaiete the rain caused problems to V Day. Outdoor actions had to be cancelled or postponed, such as the activity scheduled for the Nilce Moreira School court, which was postponed to next Sunday (12/13). The Carlos Romero Asylum action was maintained, and 12 volunteers, some of them from Congonhas, promoted an afternoon of fun for the 25 elderly people, with clowns and guitar sing-alongs. In the coming days they will go back to the asylum to begin the renovation work to improve the facility.

Barbacena dealt with the rain by developing actions in the neighborhoods Nove de Março and Nova Cidade, with the participation of Vale Volunteers and partners such as SESI, SENAI, Military Police, Mayor’s Office, Medical College, and others. Throughout the day, approximately 4000 people participated in recreational activities and were able to get medical, deontological, and psychological care, haircuts, document emissions, etc. In addition, a solidarity bazaar engaged the two neighborhoods, gathering clothes, shoes, and jewelry to be donated. The money from the sales will be destined to local institutions.

In Ouro Preto the activities took place in the São Vicente de Paula asylum, where 42 volunteers spent the Sunday afternoon with 68 elderly people who live there and 26 children from the Lar Home. A group of local artists provided live music, and the volunteers provided haircuts, dressed as Santa Claus distributing gifts, took people’s blood pressure, gave lectures, and distributed snacks.

The Belo Horizonte Volunteers went over to Nova Lima this year. The action took place in the Lar da Esperança day-care center where 12 volunteers spent the morning painting a small house used as a play center for the 132 children in the day-care center. During the week they will be back to complete the job.

Volunteers from the Água Limpa Network developed activities in the SEMA Sports Square in Rio Piracicaba. There were 450 people, less than what was expected, but considered good given the strong rain in the city that Sunday. Health care services, i.d. emission, and beauty services were provided, along with the exhibition of local artists and local entities, concert, and several recreational activities with the children, including pictures with Santa Claus and the distribution of lots of candies.

An excited group visited 11 day-care centers in Itabira giving away toys that were collected in campaigns to set up play centers – the Creche Feliz Project. (The children were not at the day-care centers so the Santa Claus ended up not being necessary).

The already traditional action in the Ozanam Home brought leisure and entertainment to the elderly. Along with lunch, they took a bus ride, got haircuts, manicures, guidance on personal hygiene, and saw the presentation of the group of sailors.

Due to the rain and bad weather, the action in the Central Square of Itabira was cancelled. At the EIC – Computer Science and Citizenship School, the volunteers held a bazaar and collected toys to donate to the children in the community.

Also in Itabira, two groups of volunteers developed an action at the Sapê Rural School, with lunch with parents and children, Santa Claus giving gifts, and the exhibition of a film at the Cinemax Space.

After a morning filled with recreational activities, approximately 300 children from Nova Lima and Itabirito were amazed when entering their new and modern play centers.

The volunteers of the newly created Vale Vargem Grande Volunteers Network decided to change the destiny of the huge amount of books and toys collected in various operational areas and one gas station in BH and the various pedagogical toys acquired. Instead of distributing them to the children they decided to set up play centers in two day-care centers in Nova Lima and one in Itabirito.

Three teams (62, 32, and 74 volunteers respectively) worked simultaneously in three locations following the same decorative project, with colored rubber tatami-like floors, bookshelves, drawings on the walls, curtains, and other equipment so that the educators and children can have better play spaces as declared by the Children and Adolescents Statute.

The newest Vale Volunteers group is less than a month old and was able to do a great job. 25 volunteers that work in the Pico Mine in Itabirito provided a morning of leisure for the parents and children aided by the Pastoral da Criança in the Portões neighborhood. Over 100 children showed up and had fun with games and toys. The group’s coordination capacity was impressive, managing to get donations for the children’s lunch, clowns, sound system, and many other items. Excitement was in the air and everyone hopes to continue with the activities in another two neighborhoods during the year.

This year the Vitória-Minas Network Volunteers that work in Ipatinga and Nova Era went to neighboring municipality Antonio Dias, to work in the CEAP – Popular Environmental Education Center, which works with children under social risk. Despite the rain, 32 Vale Volunteers and 20 community volunteers, who worked all day, managed to begin building the new CEAP classrooms. They built walls, put in doors and glass windows, put in electrical wiring, and tiles on the floors. Only the lining was left unfinished along with the roof because of the rain, and thus they were also unable to paint the walls.

The volunteers were surprised with the welcome they got from the community, who offered them lunch. The community members were so happy with the rooms that they also plan on using them to organize the Professional Education Center.

Piauí
The volunteers from the Piauí Network are radiant with the success of their first V Day, which took place in the Lagoa Funda Community in Capitão Gervásio Oliveira*. Approximately four hundred people participated in the activities that included bingos, raffles, and selling feijoada, totaling over R$ 3,000.00. In addition, the volunteers received several donations of construction material. All that is needed now is to get to work and begin the group action to build three classrooms, one lunchroom, one bathroom, and a library, amongst other improvements planned for the Pedro Rodrigues School. Twelve people registered to work as volunteers in the construction. Noteworthy was the fact that 90% of the gifts won during bingo were returned to the volunteers so that they might be reused at a new event and their amount be reinvested in the school construction.
Maranhão

São Luís Vale Volunteers worked in two different locations in the 2009 V Day and benefitted 1,150 people.

In Vila Maranhão the activities took place in the Community Member Association from the Jatobá Project and Vila Maranhão. In Community J. Lima, V Day took place in the Association for People with Cranial Facial Anomaly from Maranhão. The actions included health care, lectures on AIDS/STDs, arts and crafts workshops, haircuts, distribution of seedlings, recreational activities, distribution of snacks, draw of 70 basic food baskets and a bicycle, and toy distribution.

There was a small accident with the microbus that took approximately 20 volunteers to the action in Vila Maranhão, when a vehicle drove on the wrong side of the road and hit another car, which in turn hit the microbus, causing some problems. The volunteers were unharmed and it was not necessary to call upon the Vale Volunteers Program insurance because the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident took on the responsibility.

Cloudy skies and mild temperature. The weather was truly favorable for the Feijoada organized by the volunteers in Açailândia. Over 130 people, amongst volunteers and inmates from the Good Samaritan Association, participated, with the music of a pagode group from the region.

Pará

In Parauapebas, Vale Volunteers that work in the Carajás complex, their friends and relatives formed a group action of over 150 people to plant 1,500 native plants in the Palmares I Community, with over 5 thousand inhabitants.
Also in Parauapebas, the Vale Volunteers participated in the Ação Cidadania Verde Amarela, partnered with the Trade and Industry Association and the Labor Justice. In establishing the tasks, they were responsible for coordinating all of the volunteers and also had a stand to publicize the volunteering practice.

There were two days (Saturday and Sunday) of activities benefitting the population: the emission of documents, health care services, legal aid, beauty services, entertainment activities, amongst others.

But the highlight was the Green and Yellow Truck, equipped with synthetic grass and a goal defended by Paulo Wanzeler, Payssandu (one of the main soccer teams in Belém) player, who was goalkeeper. The children got balls and were invited to a penalty kick, trying to score. But before, they had to answer questions related to environmental preservation, while their parents got native seedlings do plant. 700 seedlings and 550 balls were distributed.
In the Zoobotanical Park in the Carajás residential nucleus, 15 volunteers organized the “Senses Walk”, an activity that engaged 12 children aided by the Parauapebas APAE. Blindfolded, they were stimulated to feel nature through smell, touch, and hearing.

In Paragominas, V Day took place in Nagibão, a neighborhood with 5 thousand inhabitants with serious violence problems and other social risks. 114 volunteers worked in three major activities. Most focused on cleaning the neighborhood square and painting toys. Meanwhile, another group, along with community agents, went to the homes to speak to the residents about child protection, addressing the issue of sexual abuse of children, quite frequent in the neighborhood.

At the same time, volunteers organized ophthalmologic consults for children in both schools, an action that is part of the campaign “See to learn”. This way, the Vale Volunteers intend to donate 1,400 glasses for children with eye problems studying in Paragominas.

In Ourilândia do Norte, the volunteers used the Vale employee’s party to collect donations for the Christmas Without Hunger for Toys and Books campaign.

The V Day from the Sossego Mine Vale Volunteers in Canaã dos Carajás, had a Santa Claus handing out toys and books, playful activities, and the distribution of snacks for the children in four different locations simultaneously: Alegria do Saber municipal school, Viver e Conviver Center, which works with challenged children, youth and adults, Brasil day-care center, and one more school. Many community volunteers jointed the Vale Volunteers in the work.

At the same time, approximately 300 volunteers (Vale volunteers and students from the schools) went to the Canaã Dam to plant 1000 native plant seedlings. A lecture on environmental preservation also took place.

The Vale Volunteers from the Carajás Railway developed activities in Marabá aimed ad the elderly and children. In the São Vicente home the elderly had a very special morning with breakfast, medical care, card games, dance, haircuts, and the distribution of souvenirs. In addition, 50 basic food baskets were donated to the Institution. The activities with the children took place in the Nova Marabá neighborhood, where 270 children played, heard stories, and souvenirs were drawn. They got gifts, drank lots of guaraná, and ate a bunch of popcorn.

Espírito Santo

Despite the rain in Vitória, the trip to the Botanical Park went on. Approximately 60 volunteers, amongst Vale employees and community, organized the activities engaging about 320 people, including 141 children from three social projects.

The children sang the national anthem and executed street dance presentations; there was also samba de gafieira and forró, and a capoeira circle with about 30 people that brought excitement to the group. The mothers from the São Torquato neighborhood learned to make soap out of cooking oil and toys out of plastic soda bottles. Santa Claus gave out gifts and sweets to the children. The GEPOG manager, Ricardo Gomes, made a symbolic gesture planting a seedling with a child. Later the Vale volunteers will put up a sign 2009 V Day on that location. There was an ambulance and two medical teams on call but fortunately no problems occurred.

At the AERT (Tubarão Sporting and Recreational Association), also in Vitória, approximately 100 elderly people took part of activities organized by 60 volunteers. They did, however, have some problems. When they checked everything on Saturday everything was OK. During the night it rained a lot and one of the buses that was picking people up got stuck in the mud. Because of that 45 of the elderly did not make it.

On Sunday morning the weather was better and people were able to enjoy the trip. SESI professionals gave massages to the elderly, who were amazed, as they had never gotten one before. Pressure and blood sugar were measured; there were lectures on various health issues. A clay workshop with the work of 35 elderly people surprised everyone with the beauty and quality of the work developed, including pans, pots, fish and other themes.

In Manguinhos, despite the sun during the week, it rained on Sunday and people were unable to go to the beach, where the volunteers had planned their activities. The volunteers immediately put into practice their plan B, which moved the actions into the Community Center, where ballet, soccer games, Christmas tree-making with recycled magazines and newspapers, and an excellent presentation of the Manguinhos classic congo with a group formed almost completely by members of the same family, took place.

The matriarch, Mrs. Erundina, was summoned to be a part of the party and sang all of the songs, remembering the lyrics perfectly. Her father initiated the congo in the region in the beginning of the last century. Despite the reduced audience, the party was joyful for the nearly 200 people there, from 1 to 102 years of age. All of these activities took place without spending a single cent.

Sergipe

Amidst the heat and dust, the morning was quite festive in the Terra Dura village, in Capela, where the Rosário do Catete volunteers worked this year. 23 actions in the community association building took place, including several workshops, early childhood recreation with games and playful activities, and community work such as haircuts, pressure and blood sugar exams, brushing teeth, painting the façade of the building, and exhibiting arts and crafts made by the members of the community.

In Barra dos Coqueiros, at least 250 children took part of the approximately 20 activities in the Church Square of the Jatobá village: health care activities, song, dance and theater presentations, several workshops, photography and arts and crafts exhibition, distribution of plants, cleaning group action, and distribution of snacks and toys for children. Alongside all of this, the volunteers made necessary renovations in the school buildings.

Bahia

Employees from the Simões Filho Vale unit had their V Day this year in the city Sports Gym for a group of 350 people. The highlight was the participation of the general manager, operational managers, and supervisors, who, alongside the volunteers, held activities in health care, sports, and recreational activities with the children.

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Posted 9 months ago by Marianna | Permalink | 10 comments