Description

In Brazil, youth seems to be inclined to participate in the social process and development of their communities. In Pernambuco, young people were empowered with the methodology known as MJPOP (Youth Monitoring Public Policies), which is the contextualization of Citizen Voice and Action (CVA) in Brazil. There, this advocacy approach engages the youth, who are then equipped to expand the initiative to their communities, and thus pursue action from the government.

Below, Amanda Tamires tells how the methodology has contributed to development in communities in the north of Brazil. Amanda serves as an Agent of Development in the Area Development Programme (ADP) Casa Grande and is a member of the National Committee of MJPOP.

“Before MJPOP arrived in Pernambuco, youth groups within ADPs were already holding weekly gatherings in order to discuss topics related to citizenship and social participation, such as public policies, the environment, health and prevention to young people, among other topics. In January 2010, educators that worked with these groups were invited to participate in the second national meeting of MJPOP held in the city of Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais. During three days, they received training on the methodology and got to learn about the results that had been achieved in the cities in which it had been already implemented (Rio de Janeiro, Ponto dos Volantes and Fortaleza). When they returned they taught the different stages and steps of the approach to the youth, who were challenged and agreed to start monitoring service delivery in their communities.

In June 2010, these young people were challenged by World Vision Brazil once again. They were invited to share this methodology with other youth participatory groups in Christian communities of the suburban area of Recife. From this initiative, MJPOP Liberdade was created, with the participation of youth from the group Ponto Missionario Liberdade, which is connected to Anglican Episcopalian Church of Brazil. This church has been working in the community Santo Aleixo in Jaboatao dos Guararapes, Pernambuco. MJPOP is the avenue the group found of transforming their faith into works, and of contributing to the building of Jesus’ project to the world in which we live.

In utilizing this methodology, the groups in Pernambuco started to engage more in political issues and exercise their citizenship. Nowadays, all of them (six) are mobilizing community members, encouraging citizens’ participation, and assembling public authorities in order to discuss improvements in quality of life of the population.

Engaging with MJPOP, young people, who didn’t have any prospects in life and a future to look forward to, are now knowledgeable of their rights and are pursuing them. New groups are being formed, the network is gaining strength, and with the support and trust of community leaders, they are participating in participative budgeting processes and other local decision making activities.

We are in the battle to achieve our goals and we will continue to persevere until Brazil is the way that we dream.”