“We are building a school, not just with classrooms, but with dreams, hopes, and opportunities.”
Vanessa Romao, Client Services Team Lead, K2 Brazil
On April 3rd, the K2 Foundation funded a team of skilled builders to embark on the inspiring task of reconstructing a rundown school nestled within a vibrant São Paulo favela. Partnering with Associação Semeando Amor, a remarkable charity dedicated to empowering children in these communities, K2 is actively working towards revitalizing the school, creating a safe and enriching haven for local children. As we approach the six-month mark, the transformation is well underway, with both the ground and first floors taking shape, promising a brighter future for these deserving young minds.
We have completed the construction of eleven rooms on the ground floor. These rooms include an office, a classroom, separate bathrooms for teachers and children, a medical room, a spacious cafeteria, a fully equipped kitchen, a pantry, a washing up/cleaning room, a laundry room, and a storage room. The medical room has been designed to provide a dedicated and hygienic space for doctors and dentists who visit the school every fifteen days to provide free check-ups for the children. Our cafeteria, the largest area in the school, is a versatile space that can also be utilized for dance classes and various other exercise activities. Additionally, the storage room will primarily serve as a collection point for donations, which will then be distributed to the children or sold to generate funds for the school’s development.
Progress on the first floor is well underway, as we have successfully constructed nine rooms to serve the needs of the children. These rooms include four classrooms, a child-friendly bathroom, a library, an IT room, a playroom, and a nursery. The design of the building incorporates numerous skylights on the roof and large windows in each classroom, allowing abundant natural light to flood the space. This creates an open and bright environment that promotes learning and growth. Furthermore, the upcoming construction of the top floor will provide an exciting outdoor area where the children can safely engage in play, exercise, and even cultivate their own plants, weather permitting.
Exciting progress is being made on both the ground and first floors, as the entrance and connecting areas begin to take shape. Within the entrance hall, the construction of the elevator shaft and space for the stairs has been completed. Additionally, a convenient passageway has been built on the ground floor, situated behind the kitchen. This allows for seamless transportation of gas and other supplies without the need to carry them through the main school area. On the first floor, a spacious corridor has been constructed, providing ample storage space for books and the plants that will be grown as part of the children’s education.
We are extremely excited about the progress that has been accomplished so far. However, for the construction to continue at its current pace, we rely on the generous donations to the K2 Foundation. Every contribution, no matter how small it may seem, is deeply appreciated and will play a crucial role in safeguarding the happiness of the children we are committed to supporting. As Vanessa Romao, the Client Services Team Lead at K2 Brazil and a key figure in the school project since its inception, explains, “we are building a school, not just with classrooms, but with dreams, hopes, and opportunities. We are creating an environment where these children will have the chance to excel, to believe in themselves, and to secure a better future. But for this dream to become a reality, we need the support of all of you. All kinds of donations, plus volunteers and partners who share this vision and are willing to join us on this journey – all are really important. Today, I ask everyone to join us in this mission. Let’s make the impossible possible. Let’s build more than just a school; let’s build a future for these children.”
