BCS Welfare Fund

The BCS Welfare Committee Members work hard to support those in need. Apart from financial support, we can make friendly visits and provide advice and companionship. If you would like to volunteer to help with visiting people in need, please contact the Office. We are also extremely grateful for any donation you direct to the Welfare section.

BCS Property Development Fund

Due to its age and status as a listed building, the property at Rua Real Grandeza 99 requires constant maintenance. An enormous amount of work has been done in the last years, some routine and some emergency (electric wiring, roof guttering etc.). Over the last year the Jubilee Hall has had an almost complete makeover thanks to a joint effort and contributions by all site users. We still want to address the lighting issue and renovate the kitchen. Please consider contributing towards further improvements that are sorely needed.

BCS Community Fund

This Fund covers most of the BCS’s activities, with the exception of Welfare for our own community. It is out of this Fund that we contribute towards several local charities. All our membership services, office expenses including salaries, subsidising of events, running the Website, are also provided for by this Fund.

British Burial Fund 

The “English Cemetery” at Gamboa is one of the oldest British institutions in Rio.  It is a state-listed monument and has to be kept in first-class repair. With the revitalization of the port area and the creation of the “Porto Maravilha”, the Prefeitura has been particularly demanding over the last few years and we are therefore in dire need of donations to help meet costs. We will be grateful for any amount you can contribute.

Casa Meimei de Alcolhimento Infantil – Sociedade Celina

This institution started informally back in 2006 in Cabuçu over on the Niteroi side of the Guanabara Bay through the donation of some land to help the extremely poor Community of Cabuçu.  Dona Maria da Gloria, who donated the land, later formalised this donation with the Prefeitura thus creating the Sociedade Celina.  For many years, Sociedade Celina helped the local community by donating ‘cestas basicas”, layettes for expectant mothers, clothes and hygiene equipment and material etc.

During this time, it became apparent that there was a total lack of creches in the area so in 2016, a campaign to build a creche for the children of this community was started and in 2018, the Casa Meimei de Acolhimento Infantil was opened.

Although the demand is huge, the creche can currently only look after 38 children as there are not sufficient resources to take on more children.  The mothers of the children are required to attend two meetings per month for instruction on childcare, personal hygiene, family planning, housekeeping, and basic horticultural training.

The latest project, which is already underway, is the building of a shelter for orphaned, abandoned and/or abused children.  The need for this “Casa Lar” has become more urgent due to the increase of violence and abuse towards women and children in this community due to the pandemic.

With the closure of the Praia do Pinto which was supported by the BCS for many years, it has been decided to help this institution going forward.

DONATIONS:

Sociedade Espirita Cristã Celina

Bank: Itau – 341

Agencia: 1638

Poupança Account No: 25322-7

CNPJ: 08294-074/0001-90

More information can be found on:

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/creche.celina?igshid=nbtsvxe7fmwp

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/meimei.cmai

SCUB (Street Child United Brazil)

This is a football for development program for children in Complexo da Penha. Much more than just a game, the program offers a safe space for girls and boys to play and develop through football thus also developing skills for life. It is led by 4 local coaches (3 female, 1 male) and the participants are 60% female and 40% male.

The program is situated on the Mouro do Caracol – a small hard-working community with strong values. Unfortunately, the hill is often a battleground between drug traffickers and the authorities but SCUB’s safe space, which is purposefully located out of the line of gunfire, offers a sense of home and family for the children, and provides a field of hope for the children and the community.

Background

Following the Street Child World Cup in 2014, SCUB formed a partnership with GM Chevrolet to build an all-purpose soccer field, which was opened by Arsenal Invincible and World Cup winner Gilberto Silva in 2015. Since then, it has been visited by coaches from Manchester United along with the legends Dwight Yorke and Quinton Fortune.

In 2018 nine girls from the program were selected to represent Brazil at the Street Child World Cup in Moscow, Russia. The girls won the competition for the second time running following their home victory in 2014!

Up to 300 children have access to SCUB; on average 45 children participate each day during two sessions. There are an equal number of girls and boys. Participation helps each child in their personal development and to develop vital skills beneficial to their community, education and transitioning to the workplace. SCUB is building the “football for development” methodology in partnership with The Sports Creative.

DONATIONS:

 Associação das Crianças de Rua Unidas

Banco: Santander

Agência: 3063

Conta Corrente: 13005408-7

CNPJ: 18.922.477/0001-90

All the above donation options (and others) are available via the website, or you can drop us a line to say which fund you would like your donation to go to when you send us your proof of payment.