In Brazil, Terre des hommes (Tdh) works together with the Baixada Circus towards family and community reintegration of children and youths in a street situation.

The Baixada Circus, which has been active since 2002 in one of the most socio-economically impoverished areas of Rio de Janeiro, has developed psychosocial work to benefit children and adolescents living in a street situation or who are socially vulnerable. The project is founded on the basis of art-education activities complementing individual follow-up.
The promotion of a participative culture, encouraged by the involvement of the youngsters in the functioning of the Circus such as meetings, training and evaluation, highlights developing their abilities and autonomy. The annual show production is thus done entirely by former beneficiaries who have become circus co-workers.
In the family and community field, the preventative character of the Circus Baixada’s activities focuses on the children and adolescents’ communities of origin. An evaluation was made with local residents who stated that the project is “the best thing in this community”.

Children in Brazil

4 million children at work, aged between 5 and 17

Places of intervention

Queimados in the Baixada Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro State.

Beneficiaries of the project

• 6,606 children given individual care
• 508 children and their parents received services
• 632 people benefited from training

Budget 2011

CHF 200’000