Olivier-Hugues Terreault is preparing Brazilian society to be able to care for their growing elderly population. Through an innovative clowning therapy, he is equipping caregivers and seniors themselves with tools for communication, meanwhile his work with decision makers and the general population...
Read morePaulo Lima founded a low-cost, effective print publication to spark the participation of children and teenagers in civic life and decision-making. He also helps adult readers understand and respect the perspectives of young people on issues of critical importance to the community.
Read moreSuzana Machado Pádua
Ashoka Fellow since Jan 1998
Working in Nazaré Paulista, a relatively impoverished conservation area that borders on the Atlantic Forest and is a major source of water for the city of São Paulo, Suzana Padua has developed a new model for community engagement in environmental protection.
Read moreMarilena Igreja Lazzarini
Ashoka Fellow since May 1990
Marilena Lazzarini, who helped create Sao Paulo's first government consumer agency, is now working to build a model private consumer defense group. Success in South America's biggest business center, enormously important in itself, will also encourage others across the continent to follow.
Read moreBy teaching practical culinary and social skills, Simone Berti is preparing individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities to assimilate into society and be self-sufficient.
Read moreJorge Lyra, a trained psychologist, is cultivating a more active role for young fathers in Brazilian society. He hopes to increase men's access to networks of parent support services, which are typically reserved for new mothers. By promoting responsible fatherhood, Jorge intends to improve family...
Read moreWagner Gomes has created a development initiative that unites students from rural backgrounds with impoverished farmers in the Northeast of Brazil to collaborate with one another and increase their productivity.
Read moreValdecir Pedreira do Nascimento is giving young domestic workers in Brazil the confidence and skills to stand up for their rights. Her comprehensive program integrates education, media, and the law in an effort to professionalize domestic work and open up opportunities for Brazilian youth.
Read moreRené Schärer makes it possible for local fishing communities to manage the use of their coastal waters, helping citizens and the government defuse environmental and economic threats posed by large, negligent, and unwelcome fishing vessels.
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