Codó Nova, Brasil

This project was completed at the beginning of August 2008. Study Group raised the sum of £30,463 to cover the cost of building 4 new classrooms and a computer room at the Rozalina Zaidan School.

Project Overview

An urban slum on the outskirts of Codó, Codó Nova has a population of 25,000 and is one of the poorest parts of Codó. Characterized by a lack of urban services, high illiteracy rates, low educational enrolment, violence and widespread drug and alcohol use, the lack of access to services in Codó Nova has left many children with very few options in terms of livelihoods and futures.

The Rozalina Zaidan School suffered from overcrowding, with children having to go to school in shifts, and 300 children in the area receiving no education at all due to a lack of resources. The classrooms were in a poor state of repair and ill equipped. Temporary classrooms were often used to house the increasing number of students. Classes were frequently integrated with others causing overcrowding and poor learning environments.

Successes

• Construction is now fully complete, and the 4 new classrooms, in addition to the extra storage space and computer room, are fully integrated, furnished and operational.
• The community has been trained in project management, accounting and purchasing.
• Work is proceeding on the new classrooms and the workers are finishing the outside frame. Further building materials have been purchased including all the roofing tiles, doors and windows.
• Meetings have been held with government officials and community representatives to make sure that the project is fully integrated into the local infrastructure.
• There has been a positive response to the implementation of the new project methodology in which community members have been directly involved and integrated into every aspect of the project.
• The project process has enabled a new social and participatory role for community members.

Community involvement and sustainability

To ensure local ownership and the ongoing sustainability of the project, members of the community must play a key role at all stages of the project. The continued involvement of the community and the municipality throughout the project ensured that the progression of the project was understood by all, adhered to their wishes and met their expectations.

Through the creation of a community managing committee, the stakeholders developed a real sense of ownership and responsibility, thus committing themselves to the maintenance of facilities they themselves played a key role in providing. The overarching responsibility of the community in relation to project management, accounting and implementation has meant their continual involvement. The committee has also become a vehicle for fostering the active involvement and participation of parents in their children’s education.

In line with Plan’s child centred community development approach, children were instrumental in the development of the project as their ideas and wishes were listened to and every effort was made to ensure that their expectations were met.

As well as community involvement, the project was developed in partnership with the Municipal Secretary of Education from Codó. The involvement of the municipality ensures the maintenance and administration of the school and provides additional support to run the enlarged school program.

Challenges Encountered

Having overcome problems related to weather, construction cost and lack of materials, the project committee was able to finalise construction plans, appoint an appropriate contractor, gain the support of the local authorities and complete the school project. No major obstacles were experienced during the course of this project.

This project has succeeded in providing new learning spaces for the children of Codó. The school has guaranteed a safe, clean and challenging educational space in which children can develop the skills needed to pursue various different livelihood goals. The community in general has expressed their willingness to support the school and as such have invested greatly in the future of their community. Not only has the project guaranteed the children of the community with educational opportunities, but it has inspired self learning within the greater community, enabling a proactive analysis and understanding of the current circumstance in Codó and the tools to alter them