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Salvador da Bahia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has the Portuguese colonial architecture, which reflects the "founders" of the city.  However, the rhythm and heart of the city lies in the heritage of the descendants of African slaves who were brought here to develop one of the most important cities in Latin America in he 19th century.  Now, Salvador is the center of Afro-Brazilian culture.  In fact, there is no other place in the world where African roots are preserved as well across the whole culural landscape of the city including music, religion, food, dance, and martial arts traditions.  African descendants in the city still perform rituals for African gods at Candomble ceremonies and dance capoeira, a stylized martial art that was disguised as a dance for the benefit of slave owners.

However, the state of Bahia has not benefited from the economic success of Brazil over the past decade and continues to be one of the poorest states in the country.

NGO Internship - Our individualized internships strive to match participant skills and interests with our community and NGO partners' self-determined development goals.  Onsite, you will live in Salvador or a nearby community, work with local partners, and receive extensive support from our international staff team and welcoming community partners.  Homestays, language study, and cultural/adventure excursions encourage participants' complete immersion and cultural integration into Brazilian life.

In terms of health status indicators, Brazil has a typical profile of a middle income country, meaning that it suffers from the high infant mortality rate and low life expectancy.  Only 82% of the people in Bahia have access to sustainable sanitation and clean water.  In addition, people also suffer from the diseases of higher income countries such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

Since 1998, the country's constitution has guaranteed all Brazilian citizens the right to health care with a national health care system.  Primary care is being improved significantly through Brazil's arrangement to have services administered by local municipalities.  However, implementation varies and some clinics in Bahia have large service areas and are left without resources to provide even basic preventative and primary care.

The guarantee of primary care also does not include access to dental services, and in the poor areas of the state, people of all ages are missing multiple teeth and suffer from chronic oral health issues.

Brazil was the first country in the world to successfully break international patents on HIV/AIDS medication in order to provide comprehensive treatment to those living with HIV/AIDS.  There is a strong HIV/AIDS movement within Salvador which helped Brazil win this political war.

ProBrazil has partnered with other NGOs to provide intern opportunities in health including clinical oral and public health in urban and rural clinics, as well as with community organizations who serve areas where the clinics are uninvolved in the health promotion of the community.  ProBrazil also has partnered with organizations implementing green, self-sustainaing sanitation solutions on the island of Itaparica.

Current  Health projects in Brazil include

• Public Health
• Primary Care
• Providing Healthcare to Cancer patients
  

Providing Healthcare to Cancer Patients
This project helps to provide healthcare to children in Brazil who suffer from Cancer. In 1988 a group of doctors, friends and parents of children with cancer got together and founded Grupo de Apoio à Criança com Câncer (GACC). GACC ‐ a philanthropic entity – was formed to give support to children in Brazil whowere suffering from cancer. This group found that up to 70% of patients were abandoning their cancer treatment due to social‐economic reasons, so they founded GACC in order to help with the continuationof the patients treatment.
    Why the project needs you:
There is room for up to 104 children to stay at GACC with ages ranging from 0‐19 years old. With this many children housed at GACC, they are always needing and looking for extra help in all areas to ensure that they can continue to operate and help with the treatment of the patients. 
    Role of the Intern:
Interns are needed to help with occupational therapy, psychological sessions and therapy, create and organize drama classes, music activities, games etc., help teach school classes, work in the library, help with organization of finances and sales, as well as teach and help others how to create handicrafts and sell them.
    Skills Required:
Some English is spoken here, however interns who work on this project should have a basic level of Portuguese or Spanish. Placements in Occupational Therapy and Psychology should have a basic knowledge of Portuguese as they will then be able to better to communicate with the children they are working with. Interns must be enthusiastic, patient, caring and good‐humored to work with the children.

ENVIRONMENT PORTFOLIO IN Brazil
All of Brazil's major ecosystems are threatened, not just the well-known Amazonia.  In Bahia, depletion fo the forest, desertification, and beach pollution are major issues.  Many species of animals are threatened, including the well-known sea turtle.  In Salvador, basic environmental problems related to the lack of sanitation and clean water still persist.

Brazil has many advanced laws for the protection of the environment, but implementation is lax.

ProBrazil Environmental Interns work in partnership with local NGOs, including beach clean-up and protection, animal protection, community education, and sustainable tourism.

• Endangered Species Protection
• Beach Clean-up and Preservation
• Community Education
• Sustainable Tourism

Bahia continues to be one of the poorest states in the entire country, and Salvador, it's capital, is the 4th largest city in the country with one of the largest ports.  However, spread throughout the city are favellas, shanty towns for poor families who have not benefited from Brazil's massive economy.  Many of these families work, but cannot afford the inflated prices that development has brought to Brazil. 

ProBrazil interns working on social and economic development issues will participate in activities to help these families through one of our affiliated non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  There is a strong arts and sports movement in Salvador, and NGOs use art, sports, and dance including samba, graffiti, percussion lines, community theater, soccer, circus training, and capoeira to transform the lives of children and adults who live in favellas (shanty towns).  These NGOs install values to keep children out of the drug trade and help people develop microenterprises with their skills.

In addition, ProBrazil Social and Economic Development Interns work on a variety of projects including:  education and youth development; small business development; capacity building; community empowerment; infrastructure development projects such as community centers and libraries; computer literacy; human rights; and English classes.

• Construction
• Education and Youth Development
• Arts, Sports and Dance
  
• Small Business Support and Marketing
  
• Capacity Building
• Community Empowerment

Arts, Dance and Music School
This project works with women and children from the favelas (shanti towns) and other underprivileged environments. In an environment where children are recruited by street gangs into a life of violence and theft, the project aims to provide an alternative focus and provide support and encouragement to the children to develop ambitions and hope. Groups learn, practice and perform dance, music and theatre productions, produce their costumes and make sets for their performances.
     Why the project needs you:
The group is always looking for new inspiration, input from other cultures and the involvement of people who can provide a positive role model for people who do not have much contact with other sector’s of society. Volunteers with skills in arts, dance or music are encouraged to teach the children what they know and provide assistance to the small number of group leaders who run this project sets.
      Role of the Intern:
The intern will be involved in choreographing dances, making costumes and sets, teaching the group any new approaches, skills or techniques and organizing the performance events within the community. They will help develop the atmosphere and interest within the group that encourages children to want to stay involved. Interns assist the staff at the project in teaching and there may be some administrational work that needs your help too.
      Skills Required:
No specific skills are required for this project, but any skills and interests in music, arts and dance are a bonus.  Volunteers should be good with children and have lots of enthusiasm and energy.

Youth Sports Project
This project works across three locations in Salvador and two more in the countryside where youth who are at risk from gangs and violence are encouraged to participate in sports training and activities to take them away from their situation. Classes are combined with workshops called ‘citizenship classes’ where they learn about respect, cooperation, equality, peace and non-racism, and the teens are given guidance and ambition to make more of their lives.
     Why the project needs you:

Gangs in the favelas of Brazil recruit youngsters who are trained to steal and get involved with violence. Often there is no alternative lifestyle to which these children are exposed to and can aspire to. These projects offer an alternative, and working alongside international volunteers, not only does the project receive invaluable help with organization and planning, but the children learn about the different lives that they can aspire to work towards.
      Role of the Intern:
Interns will help organize and teach the children to play soccer and basketball. Once a week in citizenship classes inters can become more involved once they have developed some Portuguese skills in their classes, and if they have any skills that can benefit the wellbeing or development of the children as citizens, such as arts, playing musical instruments and theatre, they may teach these.
      Skills Required:
Interns with an interest in sports are best suited to this project, but no other skills are required. As you improve your Portuguese skills you will be able to become more involved in the citizenship classes. Energy and enthusiasm are a must for working with these children.

Work with Orphans and Underprivileged Children
This residential institution provides a home and full time care for orphans and children abandoned by their families. There are currently around 35 children aged 0-14 years, in the care of this home.  Through play and learning, these children can grow up in a secure environment develop social and learning skills.
      Why the project needs you:
With limited staff numbers it is difficult to provide the children with all the attention that they need. Young babies and small children need to be nurtured in order to develop and the more assistance that the centre can get, the better they are able to bring up these children. Any volunteers with skills in nutrition, psychology or physical therapy skills are highly valued to teach skills to the staff that can be used.
       Role of the Intern:
Interns will work under the guidance of the staff at the orphanage to aid in feeding and changing the younger babies, playing with the children and organizing activities that are both entertaining and educational. Interns help the older children with their homework and hold English language classes, as well as get involved in arts and crafts with the younger children.
       Skills Required:
No specific skills are required, although any skills in nutrition, psychology or physical therapy are highly valued.  Portuguese lessons will help you communicate better with the children and staff and the most important requirement is lots of energy and a love of children. 

Youth Development through Environmental Education and Art
This project promotes education and awareness for children through natural environment, art and music.  At this project, children from the favelas (shanti towns) and other impoverished areas of the city learn about plants and species from their home country and how they can learn from and survive off the land. The use of art, painting and modeling, as well as dance and music helps the children absorb what they learn and provides them an environment that takes them away from the crime and the gangs of the streets that they come from.
       Why the project needs you:
The project deals with over 100 children and with a small staff they need all the help they can get to organize the children and the activities. Also, as a project trying to expose the children of the favelas to another way of life to help them break out of the cycle of poverty, gangs and crime, volunteers from other cultures provide an inspiration and another perspective to which they have no other contact. Those wishing to teach English classes also provide the children with a skill that can help them find work later in life.
       Role of the Intern:
Interns assist staff in workshops such as making soaps and cosmetics out of natural products, gardening and storytelling as well as art classes in painting, making crafts and mosaic. Any interns with a specific skill can also suggest some different classes for the community which they can run. There is always an interest in learning English and those interested in teaching can take classes a couple of days a week a well.
       Skills Required:
No specific skills are required, and through your Portuguese classes you can build your communication skills which will improve the work you get involved with. Any background of working with children, teaching, art or environmental education is a bonus.

Teaching Preschool and Children’s Day Care
This Preschool Institution and Day Care Centre is located 12km outside of Salvador and provides childcare and learning for children aged 0-6 years in a region where their parents need to go out to work to feed their families.  Staffs teach children basic hygiene and simple classes, as well as encourage socialization and cooperation through play.
       Why the project needs you:
 There are around 70 children at the Institution and only a few staff to look after them.  The help that volunteers provide allows the children the attention that they need to develop social skills and learn.
       Role of the Intern:
Interns will be involved with helping to change and feed the babies in the nursery, help the children with painting, arts and craft, organizing games and activities for the children, cleaning up, teaching basic classes and providing a stimulating and happy environment for the children.
       Skills Required:
Interns who work on this project should have a basic level of Portuguese or Spanish. Any experience with children or teaching is a bonus. Interns must be enthusiastic, patient and good-humored to work with the children.


Excursions
Salvador is a rich mix of heritage and traditions, and the strong influence of the Afro-Brazilian culture make for an unforgettable adventure.  Combined with the beautiful beaches and Brazilian hospitality, ProBrazil interns leave with memories and friendships that last a lifetime.  Highlights include:

• World class beaches
• Experience Afro-Brazilian religious and cultural ceremonies
  
• Tour Pelourinho, the colonial center of Salvador
  

During free weekends, volunteers can plan their own adventures.

Language Requirements & Training
There are no language requirements for ProBrazil interns, however a background in Spanish will help significantly.  Portuguese classes are provided.
When you're ready, apply at www.myproworld.org/apply