Project Title and Description: Uerê-Mello Training Center – to provide furnishings for an education training center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Center will be used to train teachers of school located in the favelas (slums). The Uere-Mello pedagogy is a proven effective method of teaching street children suffering from violence induced learning disorders.
Project Cities, State, and Country:
• Host Partner: Rotary Club of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• International Partner: Rotary Club of Linden, VA, District 7570, USA
• Primary Point of Contact: June Rinehart, Rotary Club of Linden, VA 540-636-9984, maplleaf@embarqmail.com
• Project Uerê website: www.projetouere.org.br
Problem Summary and Description: Street children of the slums are routinely abused and suffer from numerous learning disabilities. These children of poverty are seen as slow, retarded and destructive. No serious effort is made to improve their education performance or adjust their teaching methods. Traditional teaching methods result in poor performance, high levels of functional illiteracy, and early dropouts. Different teaching methods must be adopted and teachers trained in that methodology.
Project: To provide furnishings, including: electronic equipment, teaching aids, furniture for a training room, small kitchen appliances, ceiling fans, and other teaching supplies for the Center.
Timeline:
• July 1, 2010: Club funding commitments obtained, grant request submitted.
• Renovation of donated building for training center to be completed by: January 1, 2011. Note: No Rotary funds will be used for purchase or reconstruction of the training center building.
• July 1 - Dec 31, 2010: Determine specific furnishings required, research vendors.
• February 2011: Installation of furnishings.
• June 2011: Training Center furnishing completed.
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Explain How Solutions Will Solve Problem:
• Based on research of children in African countries at war and her work with street children, Projeto Uerê Director, Yvonne Bazerra de Mello, created and implemented a new teaching method for children in Maré, one of the largest slums in Rio. At Uerê, barriers to learning are removed and programs and practices implemented to help students reach their full potential, complete primary education and enter secondary education.
• Results of the Uerê teaching method: In 2009, 94.7% of the children in the Uerê school passed with good or very good ratings.
• Early success of the Uerê teaching methods drew widespread attention through the media in Brazil. In 2009 Projeto Uerê founder and Director, Yvonne de Mello was appointed as a consultant to the Office of Municipal Education in Rio de Janeiro and asked to impart her teaching methodology to other teachers. The training center will be the facility to implement the new instructions to teachers of 150 schools involving 110,000 children who live in at risk conditions.
Cost of Project: $36,000
• District 7570 Clubs - $6,000; District 4570/Rio de Janeiro Clubs - $6,000.
• Future Vision District: US $4,500 Brazil $4,500
• RF Future Vision Matching Grant $15,000 | 
