Bahia Street

nonprofit

Address and Contact:

1005 NE Boat St

Seattle, WA

98105

Nancy Bacon (Program Director)
nancy@bahiastreet.org
206-633-1724

www.bahiastreet.org

Organization Description:

Bahia Street breaks cycles of poverty, inequality and violence by providing high quality educational opportunities for economically-impoverished young women and girls in Salvador, Brazil. The program was developed by African-Brazilian residents of shantytowns in Salvador to provide a solution to what they believe to be their most pressing problems. The goals of the Bahia Street Center in Salvador, Brazil are: (1) to provide high quality education equivalent to the best private schools in the city, (2) to provide social and emotional support to the girls, who deal with poverty and violence each day, (3) to offer a complete nutrition and health program that addresses their immediate needs and educates them about nutrition and health for the long term, and (4) to provide professional development for activist teachers from the same background of the girls as they learn strategies for student-centered instruction. Building on its program in Brazil, Bahia Street offers educational programs for non-Brazilians interested in learning new perspectives on race, poverty, class, and international development. It integrates the fundamentals of anthropology and hands-on experience implementing a grassroots development project in its educational initiatives that include study trips, volunteer programs, study abroad partnerships, and participation in academic conferences. The goals of Bahia Street's programs for non-Brazilians are: (1) to share what Bahia Street directors have learned about poverty, race, and development with community members, students, and other interested individuals, and (2) to train a new generation of international development leaders. Founded in 1997, Bahia Street is registered as a non-profit organization in Brazil, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The infrastructure of Bahia Street is a partnership that combines the knowledge and dedication of a grassroots organization with the accountability and financial strength of an international one. Bahia Street was co-founded by Seattle-based anthropologist Dr. Margaret Willson and Salvador-based sociologist Rita Conceicao.

Example Project:

Three of Bahia Street's first students began study at universities in Salvador. Juliana, Daza, and Aguataluxe regularly return to the Center to mentor girls and show them by example that they can journey from illiteracy to university with hard work, support, and perseverance.

Activities that promote health:

Nutrition, Reproductive Health/Family Planning, Violence Recovery

Activities that combat poverty:

Community Development, Education and Literacy, Human Rights

Areas of Service:

Capacity Building, Service Delivery, Education & Training

Nations of the World:

Americas: Brazil, United States of America