Coop Babilônia

A favela tour and reforestation project in Rio de Janeiro.

Basic information

Experience

Eat

Impact

Start collaboration:

2022

Directly impacted families:

Project description

Situated in the Leme neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Morro da Babilônia is an environmentally protected area designed to prevent further expansion of the favela of the same name. Unusually, the Morro da Babilônia favela has developed from the top down, with the community’s oldest houses at the top, and which are now being earmarked for removal, as part of the efforts to reforest the hills here and re-establish the Atlantic Forest biome and its accompanying biodiversity of flora and fauna. CoopBabilônia is a community reforestation project that protects the local environment of Morro da Babilônia while also offering a favela tour, inviting travelers to climb up through the favela while also gaining insight into the efforts made by the community to conserve the local area and the obstacles they face. Its work also contributes significantly to the pacification of the favela and, by connecting young people to the community, provides an alternative to crime. Travelers visiting CoopBabilônia can enjoy a walking tour of the Morro da Babilônia favela for some of the best views over the city and Copacabana. Visitors also have the opportunity to learn more about the conservation processes carried out by CoopBabilônia as well as the history and transformation of the favela.

Involvement of V Social

The VSocial Foundation has been supporting CoopBabilônia since April 2022, providing technical, administrative and operational training as well as connecting the cooperative to international support organizations and tour operators. With CoopBabilônia seeking to harness tourism to fund and strengthen its environmental work, the VSocial Foundation has also helped the community project work on defining and improving its favela tour.

Start collaboration:

2022

Directly impacted families:

Support for Babilonia

Nov 2023

EUR 3,000 - Participation at first V Social Encounter

Nov 2023

Patricia, young leader at Babilonia, participated in the inaugural annual gathering of projects funded by V Social in Colombia in November. During this event, 16 projects hailing from various corners of Latin America convened in person to engage in discussions about lessons learned and to strategize for the upcoming year, 2024.

Our primary goal was to empower the beneficiaries with a more influential role in decision-making within V Social, allowing them to shape the organization's priorities and focus areas. This approach placed a greater emphasis on the voices of those we serve. Notably, for many participants, this event marks their first opportunity to travel outside their home country, adding an extra layer of significance to this transformative gathering.

The allocated amount for this support is an estimate derived from the total costs incurred in organizing the gathering.

Your impact

Rio de Janeiro

Country: Brazil

CoopBabilônia directly benefits 30 families, many of whom are directly employed by the cooperative to manage the conservation and reforestation of Morro da Babilônia. Another 10 families, associated to the cooperative’s favela tour, such as restaurants and motorcycle drivers, benefit indirectly as well as the Morro da Babilônia community as a whole, not only through the reforestation of its environment and the pacification of the favela, but also through the recovery of its gastronomic heritage and the dignity and pride that comes through telling their story.

Their story

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