The projects selected in the notice of the Hydro Sustainability Fund (FSH in Portuguese) have already started their activities in Barcarena, following all the guidelines and restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic for the safety of the participants. The notice included three lines of financing for projects: promotion of work, employment and income, and the environment; institutional strengthening of associations and social organizations; and sporting or cultural events. The activities last from three months to one year, depending on the proposal presented in the selection process.

One of the projects is Ambulante Caripi, developed by Talento RH, which aims to qualify and support these workers on the most important beach in Barcarena, with potential for tourism in the region. The project provides an opportunity to organize and standardize commerce on the beach, generating an entrepreneurial, associative and sustainable vision for street vendors. The activities began in July with a survey on the perception of patrons in relation to the service and products offered by street vendors, in addition to a survey of workers registered by the Municipality of Barcarena. The training workshops began in August and should involve up to 100 workers.

“On the network of the 'Todos pelo Trabalho' program, we realized that there was investment in infrastructure on the beach by the government, but that it still needed investment for the workers. We want Caripi to be a more interesting tourist destination. So, we thought that if we managed to raise funds and show them the best way, it would be an opportunity to rescue their dignity and improve the income of street vendors”, says Daiane Costa, owner of Talento RH/Microlins. The project also has a partnership with the Barcarena City Hall, through the secretariats of commerce, tourism, employment and income, infrastructure and urban development, in addition to the Praia do Caripi Traders and Residents Association.

In classes, they are updated on customer service, sales techniques, handling and product quality, language courses (basic English for inbound tourism), personal marketing, basic hygiene, basics of business plan, among other topics. The pre-incubation of 20 street vendors is also planned to improve the models for future projects.

Being able to communicate with foreign tourists is one of the goals of the street vendor Elson de Almeida Ferreira, 54 years old. He has been selling regional bonbons for 20 years on Caripi beach. Thinking about the future, and the age limitations for walking in the sand, he is excited about the project's classes. “In addition to learning English, I'm interested in knowledge about entrepreneurship, because we only know how to be a salesperson in practice, but the activity goes beyond. It's an opportunity to organize finances and plan expenses, because I'm compulsive about buying what isn't useful. I am a micro-entrepreneur, I already have a record at MEI, and I want to expand the production of candy, which is currently made at home by my wife and two other people. My idea is to acquire machines to speed up production. So, I need to put my head to work and put the chocolates on consignment in points of the city, such as hotels, cafeterias and markets”, he plans.

Sports and citizenship -Among those selected by the notice, there is also the "Crê-Sporte Eventos" project, carried out by the Bela Vista do Carmelo Rural Residents and Producers Association (Aprovic), on the Trambioca Island. Lasting four months, it serves children and teenagers, aged between 7 and 17, through sports activities and lectures on the concepts of citizenship and social responsibility. “One of the concerns of our community leaders is to keep this audience busy and show that to live well in the future it is important to do physical activity. Currently, around 80 children and teenagers participate in the actions. Field soccer was already a frequent sport in the community and our goal is to strengthen it”, says Amarildo Lima dos Santos, president of Aprovic.

The project was also started in July this year. With the support of the Hydro Sustainability Fund, it was possible to purchase sporting materials, such as balls, net, whistle, card, cones, vest to organize the games, in addition to food during the matches. “From this partnership, we were able to further encourage the participation of young people and retain them in the activities. And those responsible see that we are concerned about their children's physical and emotional issues. In parallel, we carry out socio-educational actions, such as lectures on drug use, prostitution and pedophilia, given by a pedagogue hired with the resources provided by the Fund. Our goal is to educate them to identify and protect themselves”, adds Amarildo.

Selection of projects -The selection of the eight projects in the public notice was made by a Project Evaluation Committee, formed by representatives of the FSH, financing companies and local civil society, defined by the working groups of the Sustainable Barcarena Initiative (IBS in Portuguese). In the analysis, technical, economic, environmental and social relevance criteria were verified. The first public notice guarantees a total investment of BRL 730 thousand.

“The Hydro Sustainability Fund is focused on building a form of shared planning with society. Our goal is that, with each public notice, more organizations present projects that contribute to improving the quality of life in the Barcarena region. In the first public notice, eight projects of more than 50 applicants were approved with actions to promote work, generate income, strengthen entities and events in Barcarena”, says Eduardo Figueiredo, executive director of the Hydro Sustainability Fund.

About the Hydro Sustainability Fund - Non-profit organization created in 2019 to promote sustainable development and support community-based projects, based on the guidelines outlined under the Sustainable Barcarena Initiative. It finances projects that contribute to sustainable development, with investment lines based on the real demands of the territory. The Fund is maintained by the companies Hydro, Albras and Alunorte, and has an investment commitment of BRL 100 million over 10 years.