Project Morrinho

Situated in the Pereira da Silva favela of Santa Teresa in Rio de Janeiro, Projeto Morrinho is a creative collective and community space offering tours through the favela as well as visits to its own artwork, a miniature favela made of colorfully painted bricks and a metaphor for an imagined favela without violence. Much like the miniature favela, walking tours of Pereira da Silva offer travelers the opportunity to find out more about the reality of life in the favelas and change the way favelas are perceived by national and international tourists alike. Managed for the most part by young people who live in the favela, this community project provides a cultural space for young people to explore their creativity through street art, singing, dancing or guiding, as an alternative to gangs and crime. Travelers visiting Projeto Morrinho can enjoy a walking tour of Pereira da Silva to learn more about the favela’s history, hear stories of pacification and young people’s experiences, and visit the miniature favela, a symbol of the young people’s dreams, where they can also grow the favela by laying a brick. Travelers can also purchase souvenirs, such as a miniature brick favela or a t-shirt printed by the project.