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CUFA

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CUFA (Central Única das Favelas or Unified Central of Favelas[1]) is a non-governmental organization in Brazil. Celso Athayde, a music producer and community organizer born in Favela do Sapo, founded the organization in 1999 with rapper and social activist MV Bill.[2][3][4] Beginning Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a motto of "fazendo do nosso jeito” (doing it our way), it is dedicated to empowering the impoverished to identify and solve the social problems that affect them most, becoming their own best advocates for change instead of simply being assisted by government and non-profit programs.[4]

Description

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CUFA was founded in 1999. Since then it has grown to include presences in all twenty-seven states of Brazil, where it develops community spaces and projects in education, environment, culture and sports, alongside educational classes such as computer training.[5][4] These programs help teach life and professional skills to teenagers, giving them alternatives to crime, and bring their perspectives on favela life to the outside world.[5]

Since 2009 CUFA has developed branches and social projects in several countries including Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Chile, Germany, Haiti, Hungary, Italy, Spain and the US.

References

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  1. ^ Rafael Vilela, Pedro (12 November 2024). "Social G20: Lula vows to submit society's proposals to heads of state". Agência Brasil. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Celso Athayde". Ashoka. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  3. ^ Perlman, Janice (2011-09-01). Favela: Four Decades of Living on the Edge in Rio de Janeiro. p. 161. ISBN 978-0199836833.
  4. ^ a b c Dowdy, Calenthia S. (2012). Youth, Music, and Agency: Undoing Race, Poverty, and Violence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (PhD). American University. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  5. ^ a b Hodgkinson, Will (2006-01-13). ""Only hip-hop can save us"". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-09-14.