Information and Communication Technologies for Development

On Thursday I traveled 2 hours each way to get to the community of Favela Pantenao. This was in Zona l'Este, or the East zone. A non profit named MOCA (MOVIMENTO DE ORIENTACAO A CRIANCA E AO ADOLESCENTE) was having a community fair that they had been planning for several months. The goal was to help provide services and a gathering for young people, with services such as name card registration, health and nutrition information, photography for ID cards, and other health care services. In addition, there was to be a job fair for workers and employers in the community, and this was to be my primary research into employers of low income people in Sao Paulo.

However, when I arrived at the school, I learned that the job fair was cancelled. Although disappointing, I made the best of it and worked with my translator to talk to a few young people and leaders of other ONG's (same as NGO - non-governmental organization). In addition, a government official, the secretary for social development for Sao Paulo, was visiting the meeting. During his speech, my translator told me "He's talking about you." I turned red, and she related that he was talking about the research project in the community. After the speech, the secretary wanted to talk to me, and I showed him the idea and my project, and he was very interested.

So, despite the fact that the job fair was cancelled, it was good to make some connections in the community and the government.

The Secretary addressing the group about the government commitment to the community.

The landscape of the local community.