Brazil
Global Communities has been fostering sustainable development in Brazil for over a decade, focusing on community development, corporate social responsibility, food security, climate resilience, and education that benefits vulnerable women, youth, and children.
Global Communities has driven sustainable development in Brazil since 2014 through programs that focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR), volunteering, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, food security, socioeconomic growth, climate resilience, and education.
With a firm belief that sustainable growth is powered by community-led solutions, our programs are designed to promote social inclusion, gender equity, and resilience. Our participatory approach engages a network of local partners to strengthen communities, foster sustainable business practices, and support financial inclusion by enhancing the productive capacity of people and their communities.
We also provide consulting services to help organizations, institutes, and foundations define their social engagement strategies. We work closely with these partners to align their CSR and ESG initiatives with the needs of children and young people, particularly in culture, education, and sports. Financed through private social investment and tax incentive laws, our programs bring together communities, companies, volunteers, and governments to create long-lasting, sustainable impact.
Current Programs
Nurturing Early Childhood Through Culture and Play
The Minha Primeira Infância ("My Early Childhood" in Portuguese) project advances early childhood education and supports educational professionals in public institutions across Brazil. Sponsored by private companies through Brazil’s tax incentive law, the project focuses on the critical years from birth to age six.
Children participate in cultural workshops that spark creativity and growth through music education, storytelling, body expression, and the art of play. These experiences nurture both cultural awareness and socio-emotional skills. At the same time, teachers and school staff receive specialized training, strengthening their ability to foster continuous learning and development.
Launched in 2024, the initiative reached seven public institutions, offering more than 5,000 hours of workshops led by 13 cultural professionals. Over 2,800 children benefited directly, while 310 educators completed 140 hours of training. In total, the program positively impacted more than 5,000 people, including children, their families, and the wider school community.
Now in its second year, the project is expanding its reach.
In 2025, Minha Primeira Infância is being implemented in four public schools, bringing immersive cultural learning to more than 700 children and providing training to 150 educators. Each edition builds on the last, ensuring that more young learners gain the foundation they need to grow, explore, and succeed.
Better Living and Working Conditions for Recyclers
Since 2021, Projeto Reciclar ("Recycle Project" in Portuguese) has been dedicated to enhancing the working conditions and income of trash recyclers. The project's primary objective is to foster local community development through productive inclusion while contributing to the circular economy.
Projeto Reciclar, funded by John Deere and a network of public and private supporters, empowers trash recyclers to work collectively through the Estação Reciclar ("Recycle Station" in Portuguese) Cooperative. The project also facilitates the formation of strategic partnerships to secure funding for the cooperative, thereby promoting the community's socioeconomic development and enabling more efficient solid waste management.
Thanks to the diligent efforts of the trash recyclers team, there has been a significant increase in the number of commercial, residential, and public establishments directing their solid waste to Projeto Reciclar.
By the numbers:
- 16 partnerships formed
- 26 recyclers trained
- 1,000+ citizens benefited
- 1,000+ students in seven schools with better environmental knowledge
- 80% of participants are Black women and heads of household
As part of the Empowered Women project, 30 trash recycler women are participating in a training journey consisting of 50 hours of in-person and remote activities. These moments are marked by a welcoming environment, exchange of experiences, and collective empowerment, focusing on developing life skills, encouraging entrepreneurship, and expanding opportunities for action within their communities.
Previous Programs
Elevating Crop Productivity and Fostering Local Development with Innovative Technologies
The Prospera (“Prosper” in Portuguese) program supported smallholder farmers across five states in northeast Brazil to overcome daily challenges that threatened their livelihoods and household food security. The program focused on increasing crop productivity, strengthening household incomes, fostering local development, and promoting high-yield corn production through hands-on training and innovative technologies. These initiatives were funded by Corteva Agriscience and Yara International, with support from Massey Ferguson.
To amplify its impact, Prospera implemented a digital tool that connected the entire corn value chain in the region, helping farmers access resources, markets, and technical support more effectively. Since its launch in 2016, Prospera trained more than 14,000 farmers and benefited over 40,000 people in 447 municipalities. By encouraging the adoption of high-yield farming practices and climate-smart technologies, the program contributed to both socioeconomic development and resilience in farming communities.
Between 2022 and 2024, Global Communities Brazil led the expansion and systematization of the program, ensuring its practices were scaled and embedded at the local level. After achieving its goals for expansion and capacity building, Global Communities successfully transferred knowledge, partnerships, and trained staff to private sector partners to continue the program’s implementation and sustain its long-term impact. (closed in 2025)
Partnering for Equity and Sustainable Development
In partnership with Comerc Energia, we implemented social initiatives to combat hunger, promote gender equality, and reduce inequities in the communities surrounding Coromandel and São José do Belmonte. A key focus was ensuring access to quality food for 100 families in socially vulnerable situations by providing food baskets. Additionally, our team conducted social analyses to identify long-term opportunities for sustainable community development.
The partnership also promoted gender equity by implementing a Mentoring for Girls project in both cities. Over the course of 12 sessions, girls received mentoring and individualized professional guidance that encouraged self-discovery, goal setting, and career planning. To further inspire them, we facilitated meetings with professionals — including experts from Comerc — who shared insights into their respective fields.
To strengthen sustainable development in the region, the partnership introduced a demonstration field and Prospera program training for 20 smallholder farms in São José do Belmonte. These efforts provided farmers with practical tools and knowledge to improve productivity while fostering resilience and sustainability.
Together, these actions not only delivered immediate support to vulnerable families but also laid the groundwork for long-term development. The project concluded by equipping our partners with a comprehensive review of social initiatives and recommendations designed to align community needs with employee engagement and government priorities. (closed in 2024)
Mobilizing for Flood Relief and Recovery
In response to the devastating floods in Southern Brazil in April 2024, Global Communities launched two initiatives to address the urgent needs of those affected while working toward the same goal of community recovery. We quickly pivoted our existing team’s efforts to collaborate with the AGCO Group, assisting its employees, third parties, and dealership network in recovery. Our contingency plan included mapping, registering, and systematizing the needs of 300 families, providing logistical support, materials, and food to ensure their safe return to their homes. Simultaneously, we partnered with John Deere to map the needs of flood victims in Rio Grande do Sul. We guided the distribution of donations from John Deere dealers nationwide, ensuring essential aid reached those most impacted. (closed in 2024)
Shaping Social Responsibility Together
In partnership with BP Bunge Bioenergia, one of Brazil’s largest sugar and ethanol producers, we conducted a community needs assessment in 11 cities where the company operates. The purpose was to align BP Bunge's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies with the priorities of local communities.
The assessment mapped 1,000 civil society organizations, surveyed 3,450 employees, and conducted 43 in-depth interviews with public managers. These combined efforts provided a comprehensive picture of community needs and opportunities for action. The process not only helped the company identify areas for meaningful social impact but also encouraged greater collaboration between BP Bunge, local communities, and the public sector. (closed in 2024)
Building a Culture of Corporate Volunteering
Global Communities partnered with Lwart Environmental Solutions, a Brazilian company specializing in waste management and sustainability, to design a corporate volunteer program that created meaningful impact for both employees and local communities. This program was developed to reflect employee interests, align with business strategy, and respond to community needs.
Together with Lwart, we created comprehensive policies, manuals, and program guidelines to shape and sustain the company’s volunteer efforts. We also conducted an in-depth assessment to help reformulate Lwart’s broader social strategy and ensure the volunteer program was grounded in evidence and long-term community priorities. (closed in 2023)
Sowing Futures: A Decade of Community Impact
From 2014 to 2020, Global Communities partnered with the John Deere Brazil Foundation to implement the Sowing Futures program, a shared effort to create meaningful change in the cities where John Deere operates in Brazil. Guided by Global Communities’ Participatory Action for Community Enhancement (PACE) methodology, the program focused on developing leadership skills in youth, strengthening local institutions, and promoting civic engagement through volunteerism and community participation.
Sowing Futures also created opportunities for John Deere employees to volunteer in nearby communities, particularly those where they lived, strengthening ties between the company, its workforce, and local residents. Over six years in Brazil, the program not only supported communities surrounding John Deere operations but also collaborated with the John Deere Institute in Brazil on management and volunteer initiatives.
In 2018, the program expanded to Argentina, beginning in the city of Granadero Baigorria and later reaching Las Rosas in 2020. Across a decade of work in both countries, Sowing Futures benefited 121,000 people, supported 153 communities, trained 4,600 individuals, and engaged 21,000 young people. The program served 34 neighborhoods, formed 845 local partnerships, and created 11,132 volunteer opportunities. Together, these efforts generated 104,000 hours of volunteering and 223,000 hours of community participation, leaving a lasting legacy of stronger, more resilient communities. (closed in 2020)
Impact
104,000
people directly impacted by our work
79,000
volunteer hours practiced by corporate and community volunteers
16,564
people trained in high yield agricultural practices from 2017-2024
News
From Carts to a Cooperative: A Home for Montenegro’s Essential Workers
In 2022, the story of Projeto Reciclar sounded like the rhythmic “clack-clack” of cart wheels on pavement before dawn. We walked those streets with Eloi and Florentina Tavares, and their son, Daniel, watching them navigate the shadows of Montenegro to find what the rest of the city had cast aside. The family is part of an estimated 800,000 trash recyclers who collect 90% of Brazil’s used and…
Celebrating 10 Years of Positive Impact in Brazil
In 2014, Global Communities arrived in Brazil in partnership with the John Deere Foundation to implement the Sowing Futures program in Horizontina (RS). Since then, we have expanded our operations to promote sustainable development in 8 Brazilian states and supported community development through the mobilization of more than 9,000 volunteers and the training of more…
Recycling Cooperative in Brazil Gets a Boost from Young People’s Communication Skills
By Leticia Oliveira An estimated 800,000 trash recyclers collect 90% of Brazil’s recyclables every day. Many Brazilian cities lack formal recycling programs, so catadores (recyclers) offer a crucial public service and play an important role in protecting the environment. Still, they remain largely undervalued in their communities. Forming a recycling cooperative is no longer a…