Housewife creates social project on the slab of the house to boost community empowerment

It was by observing young people sitting on the street, doing nothing, whenever she was on her way to the supermarket or bakery, that Márcia Jerônimo decided to create Projeto Recomeçar. The initial aim was to train teenagers to include them in the job market, but with the unexpected scenario of the pandemic, which profoundly altered family dynamics and left thousands unemployed, Márcia realised that an initiative embracing all age groups would be required.

Located in an alley in the Nossa Senhora do Carmo neighbourhood, in Duque de Caxias, in Baixada Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Projeto Recomeçar works on the slab of Márcia’s house. A small space, but it does the job.

“What will their future be like if they have nothing positive to occupy their minds with? What are they projecting into their own future? Their situation for them was already dire, but with the sudden appearance  of the pandemic, everything got much worse, many activities were ceased , and they could no longer go to school, courses or any other occupation. With idleness, their minds were open to not very good things and, many times, it was not what they really wanted for themselves”, explains the founder.

Regardless of social status, she believes every young person has a path to tread and a story to tell. “But if he doesn’t have the motivation, someone who believes in him, who empowers him, he’s not going to have a successful future.”

How the project works

Training Course for the Labour Market

The training course does not have a fixed duration, so it can be completed according to the performance of each student. “We had a young man who stayed on the project for a month and fifteen days and immediately started working; and there are young people who have been in the project from the beginning and have not yet qualified. The time the student will need depends on the dedication of each one”, points out Márcia.

Classes are made up of all the subjects taught in traditional schools and work as a kind of tutoring. In addition, students have English classes three times a week, taught by a beneficiary of the course who studies the language and shares his knowledge with other colleagues. “We also work on other topics such as posture, use of correct language during job interviews, how to dress, etc. The evaluation is done monthly through a questionnaire and, depending on the result, the student is indicated to try for a job”, adds the founder of Recomeçar.

Job vacancies are made available through a partnership with the platform of the Centro Institucional Social Capacitando Cidadão (CISCC). Adolescents aged 14 and over can participate in the workshops.

Creative and Basic Sewing Workshops

All the machinery, fabrics and materials needed for sewing came from an old garment that Márcia had. With the demise of the business and the birth of the project, she destined all of the remaining materials for the workshops. When replacements are needed, the beneficiaries themselves usually contribute ten reais a month.

The group’s main objective is to set up a handicraft fair with items from their own and artisanal production, such as bags, pillowcases, aprons, and others. Soon, Márcia’s idea is to set up a sewing cooperative.

The workshops have a fixed duration of three months. The first day is dedicated to the presentation and integration among women; on the second day, the students get to know the types of sewing machine and the accessories of each one; from the third day onward, they begin to practice, learning to control the motor, cutting patterns and handle fabrics. Everyone can make a piece in in fifteen days.

In addition to promoting another source of income for these women and financial independence, the workshops also allow them to have a means of saving money since they can make their own clothes and those of their families.

 Contemporary Ballet Classes

“Children learn about postures, to deal with their bodies. We also do some talks to talk about the importance of having a non-sedentary life. The goal is to make each one of them get to know their bodies in a playful way through dance”, explains Márcia Jerônimo.

The course currently has 68 beneficiaries, and the team of teachers is made up of four women who share the tasks among themselves. Classes ar three held times a week, and have the durarion of one hour each. From the age of 5, children can participate in classes.

Project Maintenance

The project is maintained through volunteer work and donations made by the students’ parents, local businesses, and supporters. Supermarkets and bakeries contribute food for snacks, haberdashers and bazaars donate materials for activities and grocery stores donate cleaning products. Neighbors also get involved with the project as much as possible, and according to their availability.

Furthermore, the fact that this is the first project of its kind in the area also gets people involved in making it work and keep it going.

Achievements and challenges

“We got work contracts for some young students who are currently employed and registered, and, through this victory, the project gained more confidence and freedom to continue developing activities here. I also consider the feedback we always receive from the project’s beneficiaries to be a victory: women reporting that sewing has helped them to be better people because they are having the opportunity to generate their own income, which results in financial independence”

But even though Projeto Recomeçar has had many positive results, there are still major challenges for Márcia, such as a lack of financial resources to keep the doors open. “There are volunteers, but I cannot rely entirely on them because they are extremely needy individuals who are jobless and in need of money to survive. In addition, because they are volunteers and not permanent employees, there is an inconsistency in the work”.

Testimonials from beneficiaries

“Projeto Recomeçar is important not only for me, but I believe for all the participants, as many people previously felt unprepared for the world of work. The project fully prepares us to live this experience, which is new to many.”, Cleyton Soares, 17 years old.

“The project is important to me and a lot of other young people because it gives us more confidence for life in the job market. In the project, they are helping us to understand a little bit of everything, what we going to or might go through in a company, etc. Not to mention they open doors for us on a daily basis. I think there are many young people, like me, who are extremely grateful to the project. ”, Linda Jenifer Morozenvisk from Lima, 15 years old.

“Projeto Recomeçar has given us the opportunity to grow as people and learn how to place ourselves in the job market. The project opens up opportunities for young people that perhaps society would never have given an opportunity to, and it has the sensitivity to look at us with an eye of growth! ”, Gustavo Pereira, 18 years old.

“I am very grateful to Projeto Recomeçar. The project has literally changed my life for the better, it enabled me in the job market, pushing my mind to think more and more about the financial scope and to be a good professional. Thanks to the project, today I am working, with a formal contract and, if it’s God’s will, I shall have a wonderful future. And all that because I had the support of Projeto Recomeçar. ”, Rafael, 15 years old.

Interested in helping?

Contact Marcia to find out how to help.

Phone: +55 (21) 99389-2918

Email: jeronimomarcia1978@gmail.com