Part 3 of Ethical Markets multi-part series on Sinal do Vale, an example of Community Development Solutions which reaches beyond borders, dives more deeply into student learning experiences. In Part 1, we learned about the vision for Sinal do Vale and the efforts of its founder, Thais Corral. Part 2 focused on student, business leader and tourist adventures through the sites, sounds, and tastes of an Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil. Never miss a post by signing up for Daily Headlines on the left column of our homepage. ~ Rosalinda Sanquiche, managing editor
Last week we shared with readers how our social enterprise, Sinal do Vale, is working to safeguard the remaining 12% of the Atlantic Rainforest through our Rio Green Belt reforestation initiative and our eco-tourism Learning Journeys for students, business leaders and engaged tourists. While students can engage with SINAL through these journeys, we also offer a specialized immersion program for university, post-graduate and gap-year students who are looking to have a practical, meaningful experience in the field of sustainability. Whether participants come from a background in social or life sciences, engineering, or government, they have the chance at Sinal do Vale to apply their knowledge outside the classroom, develop and implement their own ideas, and immerse themselves in a vibrant, new culture. For 1-3 months, they join the SINAL community, working day-to-day with local farmers and international peers.
During their experience, students get their hands dirty in the organic gardens of SINAL and plant trees with our reforestation project on the hillsides of the Atlantic Forest. Participants who stay longer have the chance to work with the local schools, implementing a nature-based educational program that seeks to re-connect children with local food through school gardens and game-based visits at SINAL. We invite those with an entrepreneurial spirit to engage in our community infrastructure projects, finding solutions to treat polluted water, improve waste systems, and implement recycling campaigns.
SINAL’s spacious infrastructure allows for on-site accommodation for the students where they are served 3 meals per day fresh from the SINAL garden, in community-living style. Located just an hour and half from Rio on a public bus, students can easily head to the city for the weekend to enjoy the renowned beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema and enjoy the vibrant nightlife of Rio de Janeiro.
Students who come to SINAL have an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience, complementing their academic education with our “learning by doing” philosophy. Come venture into the Atlantic Rainforest and into the world of sustainability!