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FAQ about Volunteering

Is it safe to work in the PPG favelas?

EduMais takes the safety of its volunteers and students very seriously. Most of the time, it is perfectly safe to work in PPG, but armed clashes and shootouts between police forces and gangs are unpredictable. That’s why we have strict safety protocols to maximize the security of our volunteers.

We are always in touch with our community in PPG and they keep us informed of any safety issues. When a dangerous situation arises, we abstain from our work and do not enter the favela. Safety is the number one priority.

Are there protocols if unsafe situations arises in the PPG favelas?

Yes. EduMais has strict safety protocols and these are part of our onboarding procedure for volunteers.

Do I have to speak Portuguese fluently to work as a volunteer for EduMais?

Portuguese will help you to interact with the children and will be very useful for getting around. Some of our programs require a good level of Portuguese, especially the After-school, Web and Game Design, and Education-Based Football programs. For our English programs, there is no need to speak Portuguese. In fact, during English class, we don’t want our volunteers to speak Portuguese at all, or at least as little as possible.

As it’s useful to have at least a basic grasp of Portuguese in Brazil, we can recommend Caminhos Language Centre if you are looking to learn. It is the closest language school in our neighborhood. They offer courses for different levels at reasonable prices.

Do I have to be a native English speaker to be able to volunteer for EduMais?

We prefer native English speakers for our English programs but we can accept you if you speak English fluently. This will be assessed in the interviews we hold with volunteer candidates.

I don't have an official teacher's diploma, are there volunteer options for me within EduMais?

We work with different professions, backgrounds, and skills. How much teaching experience it’s necessary to have is dependent upon your position, as well as your character. No matter how much teaching experience you have, children from different cultural backgrounds can present different challenges, and your readiness to deal with these is something that will be assessed at the interview stage. We always guide our volunteers to learn how to teach accordingly to our methodology.

Can I live in the PPG favelas during my stay?

There are tourists and volunteers who stay in favelas during their time in Rio so there are possibilities for this. Most tourists and volunteers, however, prefer a hotel, hostel or apartment outside the favelas. Where you decide to live is a personal choice and is something you will arrange.

Can EduMais help me with my visa procedure?

Unfortunately, EduMais cannot help you with any visas. But when you become a volunteer, you also become part of the EduMais family. Many of our volunteers have had to deal (or are dealing) with the often confusing bureaucratic procedures in Brazil. It is perfectly possible to ask them specific questions about visas, CPF numbers, the dos and dont’s etc. Ultimately, however, the form-filling and trips to the Federal Police are your responsibility as we do not have the resources to take on this process for our volunteers.

Can I start volunteering for EduMais every month of the year?

We prefer volunteers to come in February and June because of school term dates in Brazil. But all other months apart from December are acceptable, unless you are taking on a role in office support or grant writing, which can happen any time.

Depending on which program(s) you are planning to join, we can discuss the options on a case by case basis at the interview stage of the application process.

Can I volunteer in more than one program?

EduMais has 9 different educational programs in total. If you are interested in volunteering on more than one, this is certainly possible. Some programs take place at the same time on the same day but others do not. Let us know which programs you are interested in via your application form and then we can have a look at the possibilities.

What costs are involved in volunteering?

We believe in free volunteering opportunities hence we don’t ask any fees from our volunteers. You will, however, have to cover your own expenses like flights, housing, and living expenses.

Does EduMais provide housing?

Unfortunately, EduMais does not have its own rooms or apartments for its volunteers. But EduMais does have partnerships with different hostels where volunteers can stay at a special rate.

In addition, all current volunteers live in different locations in Rio. Often, when their rooms or apartments become available, they are first posted in the EduMais volunteer WhatsApp group. This allows us to exchange rooms and apartments with each other. As soon as you become an EduMais volunteer, you belong to the EduMais family and therefore also our Whatsapp group(s).

Will EduMais support me to find affordable flights?

We can give you some advice about websites to find affordable flights. But you will have to find the flights yourself.

What are nice areas to live?

This depends very much on your own preference. Some volunteers prefer to live near our community and others prefer to live in other parts of the city.

A good thing to know is that almost all tourists, travelers, volunteers etc. generally stay in the “Zona Sul,” the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro.

“Zona Sul” is often used as a collective name for the following neighourhoods: Botafogo, Catete, Copacabana, Cosme Velho, Flamengo, Gávea, Glória, Humaitá, Ipanema, Jardim Botânico, Lagoa, Santa Teresa, Laranjeiras, Leblon, Leme, São Conrado, and Urca.

How expensive is Rio de Janeiro?

Rio de Janeiro is a tourist-driven city, which comes with its expenses. It also depends on your lifestyle. The most expensive neighborhoods in Rio are in the South Zone: they are Leblon, Ipanema, and Lagoa.

What kind of vaccinations do I need to have?

When coming to Rio de Janeiro, it is recommended to have the following vaccinations.

  • Yellow fever
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Tetanus
  • Diphtheria
  • Typhoid

Whether you choose to take Malaria tablets is a matter of personal choice. The risk within both the city and state of Rio de Janeiro is very low. The low risk means that the side-effects of these medications are often not worth bothering with. However, if you plan to travel to other areas at higher risk, either before or after coming to Rio de Janeiro, then you might want to consider taking them.

Can I talk to past volunteers or interns for more information or experiences?

Of course. We can provide you a list of past volunteer references as well if you want to get in touch with them.

FAQ about Partnerships

How do I become a partner of EduMais?

Please contact us here and we will be very happy to talk about the options and ways you can become a partner.

Does EduMais only need money from its partners?

As well as the money needed to make our programs possible, EduMais also relies on material donations. Together, these will help to sustain EduMais now and in the future. We are always in need of football gear, computer/laptops/tablets, healthy food options, and school and office supplies. Support in the form of personnel or services that benefit either our students, volunteers, or the running of EduMais itself are also most welcome.

Can I contribute with my own partner ideas?

We’re very flexible and open to other ideas. Please get in touch with us here.

I have my own (social) organization and would like to be a guest speaker at EduMais, is that possible?

We’re open to any interaction in the service of our students. Please get in touch with us here to discuss the possibility further.

Are there possibilities for partner collaborations with EduMais?

We welcome any collaboration as long as it benefits our students and the community we serve. Please get in touch with us here.

How many partners does EduMais have at this moment?

We have a variety of partners. All of the information about them can be found on Our Partners page.

Why should I help EduMais?

Your gift, pooled with other support, will help us deliver critical education to 350 children and teenagers on our programs.

What is the impact of my support?

Your gift, pooled with other support, will help us deliver critical education to children and teenagers within our programs.

What happens when you become a partner for EduMais?

EduMais’s partners are a group of passionate, caring individuals and organisations who are committed to giving our underprivileged kids the opportunity to learn important skills.

Your support helps over 350 children with 9 different educational programs, making a real difference in their lives.
If you become a monthly supporter of EduMais, you make an even more powerful commitment to changing the lives of our children. You commit to a monthly gift that ensures program services are reliable and never interrupted due to a lack of funding.
Our promise to you is to share the stories of the children whose lives you are changing. We’ll do this through:
  • Regular newsletters
  • Regular email updates
  • Results and highlights of the programs you’re funding
  • Opportunities to visit our programmes when you’re in Rio de Janeiro

FAQ about Sponsorships

How do I become a sponsor of EduMais?

Please contact us (click here) and we are very happy to talk about the options and the ways you can become a sponsor.

Does EduMais only need money from her sponsors?

EduMais relies on material-/ and money-donations. Both donations togehter will help to sustain EduMais for now as for in the future. We are as well always in need of healthy fruits, football gear, computers/laptops/tablets, school & office supplies as well (wo)manpower.

Can I contribute with my own sponsor-ideas?

We’re very flexible and open to other ideas. Please get in touch with us (click here).

I have my own (social) organization and would like to be a guest speaker at EduMais, is that possible?

We’re open to any interaction in service of our students. Pleas get in touch with us (click here).

Are there possibilities for sponsor-collaborations with EduMais?

We welcome any collaboration as long as it is in service of our students and the community we serve. Please get in touch with us (click here).

How many sponsors does EduMais have at this moment?

We have a variety of parnters. All the information about our Partners you will find here (click here).

FAQ about how to donate or sponsor

How can I donate to or sponsor EduMais?

You can make a donation online via our website or you can transfer into our Dutch bank account. Our bank account details are:

Bank: ABN AMRO Bank
To the attention of: Stichting EduMais Foundation
IBAN: NL80 ABNA 0825 6732 08
BIC: ABNANL2A

Can I donate to or sponsor EduMais for specific programs or goals?

Of course! If one or more of our programs speaks specifically to you, then you can indicate which one(s) you want to donate to or sponsor in your description.

We also often have specific fundraising campaigns for particular programs or items that we need for the children or the school. For example, we might raise money to ensure our annual Summer Camps can take place again, or collect funds specifically for financing new football shoes, new football shirts etc. for our Education-based Football Program etc.

If you want to donate or sponsor something specifically, please get in touch with us and we will be happy to talk about the possibilities.

Can I also tranfer money directly to EduMais's bank-account?

Of course. Our NGO is registered at the Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands. That’s why we also have a Dutch bank account. Wherever you are in the world, you can make (inter)national offline payments using the bank details below:

Bank: ABN AMRO Bank
To the attention of: Stichting EduMais Foundation
IBAN: NL80 ABNA 0825 6732 08
BIC: ABNANL2A

I have missed the EduMais fundraising campaign I intended to support. How can I still donate?

You can always donate or sponsor a specific program or campaign by making a donation online via our website and indicating the fundraising campaign.

Is my donation tax deductible?

The Stichting EduMais Foundation is a public benefit organization. Gifts to Stichting EduMais Foundation are tax deductible in the Netherlands. No goods or services were forwarded or offered in exchange for this contribution. If you have questions or live outside of the Netherlands, please contact your tax advisor.

How much of my donation will go towards funding EduMais's programs?

We are a low-cost organisation and we make sure that we spend your money well. In the past years, on average 92,5% of all expenditures support our educational program services. More information about our finances and the use of funds is available on our financial page.