If you still haven’t heard of the website called MyC4, this is your change to check out this amazing micro finance project developed by the two entrepreneurs Mads Kjaer & Tim Vang. Shortly, MyC4 sees a world without poverty, where everyone has the same access to knowledge, markets and capital. In line with the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty and hunger by 2015, MyC4 aims to help end poverty in Africa through a micro loan system, where you, as an individual or company, can invest in small African entrepreneurial businesses. MyC4 believes that a sustainable prosperity for Africa will develop by raising capital for the many entrepreneurs and not by increasing development aid for the region. Sounds confusing? It’s not! And you will find out much more by visiting their site: www.myc4.com
Photo: Morrinho Project, Rio de Janeiro. Marts 08.
Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Early morning and with just a few notes of contacts in my hand, I was standing in front of the Pereirão Favela. Before I left Denmark I was told by the Co-Creation Lap about the Morrinho Project and I became very interested in their preventive approach of how to deal with the problems within the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. The sun was slowly beginning to warm the surface of the ground and there Rane approached me with a big smile. As we began to walk through the labyrinths of the Pereirão community Rane, who is one of the guys that started the Morrinho project back in the days, began telling me about how things had begun and about what problems that exists within the favelas.The Morrinho project started in 1998 by the then 14 year-old Nelcirlan Souza. His constructions of favelas and games of the reality, however, soon attracted 7 other youngsters from the Pereirão favela and the Morrinho rapidly grew. It has survived conflicts with police as they among others expected it to be a method of how to plan attacks on other favelas, as well as with local communities who thought they waisted their time playing around.
Today Morrinho is a NGO that aim to set focus on what problems youngsters face within the favelas, and thereby be preventive in eliminating the problems with for instance traficking and violence. With its success and positive response they now wish to extend its capacity to offer film making classes, language courses, skills training and community services, which directly will contribute to the social and economical development of this region and surrounding area.
As we reached the site of the project kids came running from school and began to play and build. The connection between the elder guys and the kids was fascinating. Through the game they shared stories of their daily life - thoughts, perspectives, experiences, history of the present and the past, tragedies, ideas of solutions, failures and future was debated and expressed. Very interesting and I wonder why such generation connection happens so seldom when it seemingly can be so beneficial and enlightening!
Thank you to Henrik Vibskov - For all the very cool shirts!
Photo: Rane in front of the Morrinho Project office, Rio de Janeiro. Marts 08.