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How can we really help street children?
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Over 1 billion of the world’s population live in slums (or favelas as they are called in Brazil), on the outskirts of huge cities. In Brazil, one third of the population live on less than $1 a day. There are 8 million abandoned street children and millions of others who are at risk from gang violence, abuse, prostitution, disease and a culture of complete hopelessness.
We believe that slum communities can be changed, quality of life improved and hope restored AND we are seeing this happen, today, in Brazil. HOW?
The answer is to provide real opportunity and restore dignity. The University of Life is a project which is working with the local community and has steadily built trust, participation and reputation and most importantly shown results.
In Brazil only 16% of children will finish primary school, 8% will finish high school 6% of all children will go to college. In the slums, over 50% of children stop going to public school before they are 11.
The University of Life is about transforming the nation of Brazil one child at a time and creating the next generation of Christian leaders.
Through quality education the project steps into the gap where the public school system in Brazil is failing. The project provides academic education for children in the slums which is engaging and inspiring. We also work with parents, encouraging them to help their children learn and offering practical tools to help them build a strong family unit and improve their quality of life, physically, spiritually and economically.
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The Director of The Channel is Marcondes (Marc) Marques. Marc was born in Fortaleza, Brazil and grew up with the reality of rich and poor right on his doorstep. Although he came from a middle class family, Marc’s best friends were from the favelas.
As he grew up Marc noticed the distinct differences in opportunity available to him compared with his friends and his frustration grew with the poverty and discrimination which they faced. Not knowing what to do, Marc used to sneak out of his house with groceries for his friends. At Christmas time his heart was broken as he tried to understand why Father Christmas (who in traditional catholic culture represents God), gave presents to him but not to his friends.
With a heart to do more, Marc has dedicated his life to finding effective and sustainable ways to bring opportunity to the poor, releasing their potential through quality education and training. His focus has always been on helping children, preventing their suffering and training them up with hope and determination for a better future.
As a young adult Marc moved to the States where he studied Social Science and became director of a men’s home for Youth Challenge in Virginia. After generating support for a trip back to Brazil to document the conditions and lifestyle of street children, Channel to Brazil for Christ was established in 1983. The four founders were Rev. Troy Collier, Dr Roger and Nadya Denis and Pastor James Cheshire.
Marc and his first wife Lois (who passed away in 2003), took on the challenge of fundraising as well as establishing a program back in Brazil to care for the city’s needy children. Today, almost 25 years later CBC has assisted thousands of children with their education, vocational training and determination for a better life.
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President
Vice President
Treasurer |
Art Block
Rev. Troy Collier
Betty Merritt |
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Dr Ray Dail
Alan Clark
Dorothy Swartz
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Staff
Marcondes Marques
Ruth Marques
Ann Harrison
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Executive Director
Development Manager
Office Manager
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marc@thechannel.org
ruth@thechannel.org
ann@thechannel.org
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