ADCAM

Brazil

About ADCAM

Mona Partner Since 2004

The Association for the Cohesive Development of the Amazon (ADCAM) in Manaus operates two initiatives: a preK-12 School of the Future (Escola do Futuro) and the Young Apprentice Program which promotes the successful entry of youth ages 14-24 into the labor market. Both aim to raise citizens who strive for excellence, demonstrate moral leadership, and see themselves as change agents dedicated to serving their community. Nationally recognized for promoting the overall wellbeing of its community, ADCAM regularly visits student families, offers after-school programs for students at nearby schools, hosts a dynamic elders’ program, and collaborates with businesses for the benefit of all.

The Challenge

Manaus is a port city and the capital of Amazonas with over 2.2 million inhabitants in northwestern Brazil. The per capita income is $6,400 USD, but the area is recognized as one of the most dangerous in Brazil as the epicenter of gang violence and drug trafficking.  According to November 2022 UN report, Brazil has one of the highest indices of femicide in the world. In a 2017 nationwide survey, approximately one-third of Brazilian girls and women expressed that they had suffered violence in the previous year ranging from threats and beatings to attempted murder. A survey of crime statistics in 2021 reveals that one woman is raped every 10 minutes in Brazil and that a femicide happens every seven hours. 

The Solution:  ADCAM Programs

School of the Future

The School of the Future (Escola do Futuro) provides pre-K through high school education to mostly indigenous children and youth from low-income families.


Educational activities, including arts, music and sports, foster the development of the whole child — academically, artistically, technically, and morally — and empowers each student to work towards the betterment of their community.

Young Apprentice Program

ADCAM's Young Apprentice Program promotes the successful entry of adolescents and young people, aged between 14 and 24 years old, in the labor market.


In 2023, ADCAM will serve 350 adolescents and young people through the Apprentice Program, made possible by partnerships and agreements with public and private companies.

Community Engagement

Through the Community Training and Service Center, ADCAM seeks to promote social inclusion and develop skills aimed at serving humanity, covering aspects such as protection, self-knowledge and self esteem. The center serves 150 children, teenagers, and elders  and 50 families with activities held twice a week, helping to build strong communities and promoting the development of empathy, solidarity and acceptance of others.

How we help

Mona Foundation has partnered with ADCAM since 2004, providing funds for scholarships, teacher training, materials, and capital improvements in support of its socio-educational activities benefitting children, youth, families, and communities.

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  • Four young boys sitting outside together creating art with different marker colors.

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  • A young boy sitting in his classroom, smiling, reading a textbook.

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  • Two young students, a girl and a boy, smiling in an ADCAM t-shirt.

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  • Two young students reading a book in their classroom at ADCAM.

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  • Two young girl students smiling and making the peace sign with their hands, covering their faces.

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2023 Achievements

  • Educated 278 K-12 students
  • 370 youth were trained in the Young Apprentice Program, an increase of 14 youth
  • Provided 75 scholarships to families in need of support
  • 30 teachers received 32 sessions of training
  • Completed repairs and invested in furniture and equipment

2024 Needs, $110,000

  • Operational support to educate 300 K-12 students, support 400 youth in Young Apprentice Program, and hold after-school activities for 150 children, youth, elders, and 50 families - $45,000
  • Provide scholarships to 75 students, $29,000
  • Train 30 teachers and technical staff, $8,000
  • Facility maintenance, repairs, and equipment - $28,000
Support ADCAM's 2024 Goals

Updates

Principal of ADCAM giving a high five to a student

Together, a Surging Sea

August 2023 - A group of Mona supporters travelled to Brazil in June, joining Mona CEO Mahnaz Javid and COO Laura Baerwolf in visiting our partner ADCAM in Manaus, Amazonas. In its mission to promote the material and social well-being of the Amazonian people, ADCAM operates School of the Future, a K-12 school with incredible family and community engagement, and a Youth Apprentice program connecting students to work opportunities with local businesses. In our experience, ADCAM's ability to engage the whole community is truly unprecedented and another great example of "Together, a Surging Sea." 

ADCAM's primary aim is to promote the social and material well-being of the members of its community, motivated by a spirit of service to humanity. Beyond its School for the Future and Youth Apprentice program, ADCAM offers a variety of programs for community members. 


One such program is the “Feminine Diginity” project, a health initiative that aims to guarantee menstrual dignity for low-income girls, ages 11 to 17, who study at the public schools in the area around ADCAM.   


In 2022, the Feminine Dignity project distributed free sanitary napkins and provided lectures on women's health to 2,268 girls at four schools in the state and municipal education network. 

ADCAM has worked to promote the wellbeing of its students and families throughout the pandemic.  In addition to transitionig to remote learning during the lockdown period, the school helped mediate conflicts, promote the strengthening of family ties, and offer socio-emotional support to everyone involved. Those who faced many difficulties were guided to seek professional help.


When in-person classes resumed in schools across Brazil in February 2022, ADCAM transitioned to a hybrid teaching model with 100% participation by its students.  


Face-to-face classes held at the school campus obeyed all COVID-19 prevention protocols and were of great benefit to engaging students in the teaching-learning process and promoting interdisciplinary projects. To fill in pandemic-related learning gaps, teachers developed various pedagogical interventions to support students in the classroom.  


To create a virtual learning environment and transmit in-person classes, ADCAM used educational digital applications and platforms, such as Alunosbook Educational Platform,the Iscool App (Electronic Agenda),  Google Meet and Google classroom. 




A tale of love and sacrifice in service to thousands

It all started when Ferial and her family moved to Manaus in the heart of the Amazon in 1985. Ferial, pictured to the right, saw the abject poverty around her and decided to do something about it. Her first step was to pick up 5 abandoned toddlers off the street and bring them home with her and this is how the orphanage started. By the time she was done, 300 abandoned children had been adopted into good families. She then decided that education was the only way to address the root cause of poverty and started an elementary school. She added a classroom every year until the school offered a full K-12 curriculum.


Ferial then looked around and saw hundreds of street children, often with no clothes and hungry, begging in the streets.  She decided to do something about that and started ADCAM’s Family Development Center.  This program offers free education to the street children, while providing support and training to the parents.

Stories of Transformation

By Melina Rajaei July 14, 2021
Beatriz & Brenda's Story: The Road to University
By Melina Rajaei July 14, 2021
Kerolyne's Story: I am building my future 
By Lila Chitayat July 2, 2021
Visiting ADCAM changed my life.
By Melina Rajaei June 30, 2021
ADCAM's Founding Story
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