voice for change quick hit diaries

Here are some of the children who live at Casa Branca, the Voice for Change house in Jardim Social, Curitiba. They are pictured after enjoying a game of football in the garden with 'mother' Tuim (pronounced 'twing').

They are wearing kit donated by our supporters in the UK.

Pedro, Maicon, Fernando, Telma, Samuel, and Sarah are playing here.

If you would like to know more about the work of vfc please e-mail us at any time....

After the excitement of the last team and all they achieved in Curitiba, our next team is now putting together its final preparations ready to fly to Brasil on Saturday 12 November.

Voice for Change now has 11 children living in our two homes, and Emanuela has just returned to her family after a period with us of rehabilitation. We wish her and the family well, and are thrilled to have been a part of her recovery.

Ellie is doing really well in Brasil as our volunteer, and Rosie is about to join her, also on her gap year before going to university next year.

The full team is Carl and Kate Love - from Uppingham
Sarah Thomas - from Norwich
Margaret Green - from Solihull
Steve and Ann Rayner - Norwich
Malcolm Wilson - Stourbridge
Leigh-Anne van Rensburg - Nottingham
Debbie Green - Sheffield
Rosie Higham-Stainton - Norwich
Keith and Denise Colman - Bawdeswell

You can support and follow them as they prepare and keep up with all the news as they travel into Brasil over the next month.
if you would like to be e-mailed each time a new blog entry is made, please send your address to keith@dovetrust.com as soon as possible!

If you would like to support the projects we are going to do, please call or e-mail us! Thank you!

well done everyone on the team - the changes you have made are fantastic, and clear for all to see. you have done a brilliant job, and made many new friends, as well as encouraging the team in brasil - you are all heroines!!

the next team flies out to brasil on 12 november, really eager to carry on where you have left off!!

if you want to go on a team in 2006 or 2007, get in touch with the vfc office NOW!
e-mail us on keith@dovetrust.com and we'll send you details of how you can be part of this great vfc family....

The birthday celebrations for Ann last night went down very well. We all congregated in the garden of Casa Branca for fireworks, great company and good food. We are all very thankful to the household for their hospitality.
Today has been our final day working on our projects and it was incredibly successful. Rachael finished off the logo with the help of Lynn and Natalie, the result was really good and the front of the centre has dramatically changed and it is very clear what the purpose of the bulding is now. The rest of the team took part in the first offcial dance class in the vila, it was lively and thoroughly enjoyable. We had a guided tour around a neighbourng vila which was in an even worse condition. This gave us an idea of what the vila was like when Voice For Change first worked in there.
We have achieved all of our goals and are feeling pleased with ourselves.

A note from Ann:

Well our time in Brazil is nearly at an end. On Sunday we will be flying back to the UK to family and friends. We have achieved all that we had planned before leaving the UK despite of the weather.

We have painted a mural on the dining room wall at Casa Dorada and also outside shutters.

We have completely renovated a dis-used aviary into an oasis of relaxation for future quick hit teams.

We have painted inside and out of the centre at the Vila and put a longed for Voice for Change Brazillian logo on the front of the building (See before and after pictures).

The team has worked extremely hard and I am so VERY VERY PROUD of each member of the team. We have laughed a lot and there has been a real spirit of co-operatiion amongst us all. We return carrying the sights, tastes and smells of Brazil but most of all we return with a love for all the people we have met here in this wonderful country.

love

Ann