Task Brasil needs thousands of pounds to keep its much needed projects open. There are still many many children in Rio de Janeiro who need our help.

Every penny you donate or raise brings us closer to the total amount we need every month!

If you can offer a regular commitment, please do so! The less time we spend in fundraising the more time we have to help more and more children.

Task Brasil relies upon the generosity of our kind supporters so, as always, we would like to thank each and every one of you who has supported us throughout the years whether by making a donation or organizing or contributing towards fundraising events or by supporting our Child Sponsorship Programme or volunteering.

Please refer to "Donors" in our website on "News" section to learn more about who the special people behind Task Brasil’s projects and whose help enables us to keep many children off the streets.

Important Changes to Task Brasil's Projects

RECENT NEWS 2010

Aims for 2010

• Expand Casa Jimmy (for children under 6 years old) to provide care for up to 30 children
  
• Finish repair the roof at Casa Roger Turner and provide alternative accommodation for boys aged 12 — 18 years old on a monthly basis
  
• Establish new partnership needed to re-open projects to care for more children and teenagers
  
• Increase the number of monthly sponsors boosting Task Brasil’s regular income
  
• Increase money raised through fundraising campaigns

Task Brasil's supporters !

Our Volunteers!
Volunteers are an integral part of Task Brasil, present at every level of the organisation including: trustees, office assistants, festivals stall holders, childcare in Brazil and fundraisers.

If you are interested in getting involved contact info@taskbrasil.org.uk or call 0207 7735 5545.

Office Volunteers
Sophie, Barbara, Cassila, Ricardo, Rachel, Christina, Isabelle and Rebecca volunteered to help with events, appeals and fundraising.

Festival Volunteers
WOMAD and Carnaval del Pueblo (London's largest Latin American festival) raised funds by selling jewellery& Havaianas.

Fashion Event
As part of the Cass Fashion Fantasies Catwalk Show Katrina de Massey and her friends chose to fundraise for Task Brasil and raised over £3 500.

London Marathon 2009
Twelve people completed ‘one of lifes big challenges’ on behalf of Task Brasil and we were delighted that nearly £16,000 was raised.

Volunteers in Brazil
After returning from Brazil, Sandra and Sandie stated “The work Task Brasil does is fantastic, and I hope to continue to support your charity, I cannot stress enough how much I admire the work being done”. Patricia, Rachel, Beatriz and Lorenco in Rio.

The Brazil Nuts
The self-styled Brazil Nuts, Sandra Scobbie, Sandie McLeod and Clare Clarke from Scotland have been fundraising for numerous years. In 2009 they even managed to persuade their friend Joanne Brown to run a half marathon in Avenmore for us!

Profile of a fundraiser – Dirk Reichling - Dirk began volunteering with Task Brasil in 2007 and as part of our ecotour volunteer programme. He spent two weeks in Brazil planting fruit trees, putting up fences and improving the interior of the house. He fundraised over £2,000.

Dirk says that his time in Brazil was “amazing, because you could see first hand what a difference a small charity like Task Brasil makes to lives of the underprivileged street children” Dirk’s involvement with Task Brasil did not end there. In 2008 he completed the 3 peak challenge, which involves climbing the three highest mountains in the UK within 24 hours. He raised an incredible £3,000 and returned to Brazil in 2009 to visit Epsom College Farm and Casa Jimmy donating clothes and toys from friends in the UK.

Dirk became interested in Brazil at school and first met Task Brasil at the Southbank Festival. He started receiving this newsletter and began to become more involved, in total Dirk has raised   £10,000 and we thank him for helping us to support the children of Brazil.

Ligia honoured in Rio de Janeiro City

In April 2010, the city of Rio de Janeiro granted Ligia da Silva (the founding trustee of Task Brasil) the title of Honorary Citizen of the City, recommended by Tania Bastos (Vereadora).

The title was awarded at an event called Women in Action: for a better city.  This is a prestigious honour which recognises all who have played a part in Task Brasil over the last 18 years. The event was also attended by the 'Desembargador' Siro Darlan.

Many of the children living at Casa Jimmy performed a Brazilian children’s song to the top officials of Rio at the event.  They were given the opportunity to say their name into the microphone.  They received rapturous applause and were rewarded with chocolate milk and cheese crackers in the mayor’s parlour. 

Task Brasil has worked very hard over the years to bring help and support to Rio ’s disadvantaged children, so we were all thrilled with the acknowledgment.

Autumn Events, 2009

Task Brasil and Casa Jimmy were very busy this past November and beginning of December 09! In an effort to help raise funds for the projects in these difficult economic times, Jimmy Page himself came to Brasil for five days of fundraising events.
The outpouring of enthusiasm and excitement to see Jimmy Page and to support Casa Jimmy was gratifying to experience. There were many events, and the inexhaustible, patient and kind Jimmy Page attended them all, meeting people, supporting the youth not only in Casa Jimmy, but also some aspiring young musicians as well.

Here’s what happened at each event:

Battle of the Bands – On November 28th, The British School in Rio de Janeiro hosted a “Battle of the Bands” afternoon. Young musicians and bands all played great music—some of it not surprisingly from Led Zeppelin—and a raffle and auction for Jimmy Page signed t-shirts and memorabilia was held and hosted by Jimmy Page and the British school.

Casa Jimmy BBQ – The Chevron spouse volunteer group worked day and night to put on a BBQ at Casa Jimmy on November 29th. Many wonderful businesses and people volunteered their time and generous gifts for a raffle. People who came to the BBQ got to meet Jimmy Page, eat wonderful food, watch traditional Brazilian dance and enter the raffle. The kids got an opportunity to dance along with the professionals, had their face painted, and were always happy to yell out the winning raffle numbers along with Jimmy Page.
In addition, many people to the time to sponsor the Casa Jimmy program on a monthly basis, thereby helping Task Brasil and the children continue to live in a safe, healthy environment well into 2010.

Pocket Show – Organised by Claudio and his team from Wilson Sons supported by Carolina and Lia from Chevron. The very popular event took place at The Rock and Blues Club in the fashionable Lapa. Three bands mixed their rhythms in a special evening playing Brazilian Popular Music and Rock!

Executive Lunch – Hosted by Jimmy, the British Council Tim Flear and the Defense Attachè Willie Dobson hosted a lunch for prominent leaders in the community on - Lunch Monday, 30th November. Guests dined in a more intimate setting at the Hotel Santa Teresa, and were able to network with each other and chat with Jimmy Page in a more personal setting.

After lunch all the guests were taken for a visit to Casa Jimmy.

Casa do Saber – Casa do Sabor is a cultural/educational centre where the intention is to provide a venue for professors and students to have discussion, reflection and exchange of knowledge.   Jimmy Page was interviewed by Joe Painter, Laudir de Oliveira and Eduardo Ponti in the presence of a small audience and gave an us an insight into his musical background, inspirations and plans for the future. Jimmy went on to answer many questions that the enthusiastic audience were keen to ask! Te event was organised with the essencial help of Susan Mace from Britannia English School in Rio.

Task Brasil raised over R$ 70,000 with its fund raising activities, and more money was pledged by companies such as Chevron, who plan to help with constructions and repairs of the buildings in 2010.

Thanks to all the donors, sponsors and volunteers who’ve made it possible for Casa Jimmy to continue its work for the street children of Brasil.

In these difficult economic times, we are even more grateful for the generosity of the people and businesses of Rio de Janeiro and all over the world.
Task Brasil wishes everyone a happy, healthy holiday season.

Summer events 2009

Casa Jimmy has in September 2009 hosted groups from Glamorgan University, British Airways and the Royal Navy, who have all spent time with the projects and been a great source of practical help to us.

The project has also been receiving a great deal of support from Chevron's employees and their spouses who have been organising loads of fun events for the children and helping them to learn English.

This summer Task Brasil maintained the tradition of attending The Carnaval del Pueblo and WOMAD. Both these events benefitted from good weather and were a great success in terms of raising awareness of our cause and raising funds. If you would like to get involved with next year's summer events please let us know. We need volunteers to man the stalls and to help with setting up materials. Furthermore, if there is an event that you know about that you think we should attend, please get in touch with us.

The Carnaval del Pueblo is London's largest Latin American festival. Every August Burgess Park gives itself over to London's Latin American community in a spectacular display of music and colour. Fortunately, this year the sun shone all day, so nothing was able to dampen the atmosphere! The carnaval attracts an audience from every part of London's Latin American community (many of whom are surprised by the sheer size of the event) and provides a perfect opportunity for Task Brasil to inform the wider public of our work. This year we had a great team of volunteers who did a fantastic job collecting email addresses and selling Havaianas and jewellery to raise funds for our work.

Earlier on in 2009

We are delighted to announce that approximately US$ 8,000 were raised through the sale of items on eBay's Missionfish, both the UK and the USA:

Some of the items were a Gibson Epiphone Guitar, Hippie Fest signed by Jack Bruce of Cream, Flo and Eddie of The Turtles, Joey Molland of Badfinger, Jonathan Edwards, Melanie, Eric Burden and the Animals; "A matter of Life and Death" limited edtion, double picture disk. 12" vinyl LP's signed by Iron Maiden members: Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Steve Harris and Niko McBrain; Genesis - Anatomy of a Tour pop up book signed by Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks; a Custom made ESP Guitar Signed by Joe Walsh (The Eagles), Jimmy Page and Slash. Custom-made in Japan; and much more... We are grateful to the artists and everyone who made this event possible.

Duncan's Three Peaks Challenge
The Three Peaks Challenge is a mountain endurance challenge in Great Britain in which participants attempt to climb the highest peaks of each of the island's three countries. Whilst the challenge has no official rules or time restrictions, many participants try and complete it within 24 hours – and this is what our long standing supporter Duncan Innes and his colleagues at Marriott Harrison did in August this year.

The mountains climbed, in height order are Ben Nevis in Western Scotland (1344 m), Snowdon in North Wales (1085 m), and Scafell Pike in North-Western England (978 m). In all the challenge involves some 42 km (26 miles) of ascent and descent, with total travel approaching 765 km (around 475 miles).

After the challenge Duncan said:
“Well, we did it! Despite all three summits being in total cloud, some challenging conditions and definitely the worst homemade sandwiches on the planet, all three peaks were successfully climbed.”

Duncan Innes is a longstanding and active supporter of Task Brasil. Duncan first got involved with Task Brasil in 1995 and has, until recently, provided a great deal of support as a Trustee, advising Task Brasil and visiting our projects periodically. Everyone involved with Task Brasil is hugely grateful to Duncan for all he has done over the years, and mightily impressed by his fundraising and hill-walking abilities!

Duncan's efforts have so far raised nearly £5,000 for Task Brasil projects. You can still sponsor his effort by visiting Duncan's Justgiving fundraising site