Instituto GUETTO - Gestao Urbana de Empreendedorismo, Trabalho e Tecnologia Organizada

Mission: To drive the social empowerment of a generation of Black individuals.

Vision: To be a transformative institution in social reality, combating structural racism and reducing racial and social inequalities.

Values: Education, Employability, Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Social Responsibility

Juliana act as the Research Coordinator and project coordination and execution. They oversee the strategic direction of our initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives especially in research area.

Our team is exceptionally well-positioned to effectively support the LEAP Project despite other priorities within our organization. With a robust team in place, including a skilled Team Lead and dedicated supporting members, we have the capacity and expertise to navigate the demands of the project while balancing other organizational commitments.

Nia is a complementary educational initiative dedicated to nurturing well-being, intellectual curiosity and cultural identity of black children and families.

The problem addressed by our solution lies in the historical disparity in educational opportunities between black and white children. According to data from the Brazilian Government (PNAD, 2022), 72% of school dropouts in Brazil are black, with 24% leaving due to disinterest. Racial inequality persists even among those who remain in school: by the end of the 5th year of elementary school, only 52% of black children have adequate learning in Portuguese, compared to 70% of white children; in mathematics, it's 40% versus 60%. 

Various factors, including parental income and education, contribute to this gap, but racism also plays a critical role in explaining the disparities in education between whites and blacks. Kocak, O et al. (2021) conducted a systematic review identifying that self-confidence, positive thoughts, and a willingness to learn collaboratively are essential factors for students' academic performance. These elements can be compromised by situations that affect students' sense of belonging in the school environment, such as racism. 

The research "Perceptions about Racism in Brazil" reveals that 64% of young people see school as the place where they most experience racism, highlighting impacts such as exclusion and racial marginalization. The most extreme manifestation of this reality is seen in cases of severe psychological distress. A study by the Ministry of Health (2016) shows that young black males aged 10 to 29 are 50% more likely to commit suicide than whites of the same age, often due to unrecognized or untreated stress, anxiety, and depression. Feelings of inferiority, facing rejection, neglect, abuse, violence, as well as loneliness and social isolation are common reasons for this.

 On the other hand, despite Law 10.639/2003 promoting the teaching of African and Afro-Brazilian culture, its implementation is still limited, with only 5% of municipalities having a technical area dedicated to ethnic-racial education and only 8% with a specific budget for it.

The NIA (Ninho de Infância Africana - African Childhood Nest) is designed as a supportive educational space complementing traditional schooling, rooted in African ancestral experiences. Our aim is to foster a positive sense of self-worth and curiosity for knowledge among black children. Families are invited to participate in parental education activities, reinforcing affection and community bonds. Our holistic approach combines academic, artistic, and socio-emotional activities, aligning with research on factors enhancing academic performance, such as children's self-confidence, constructivist learning strategies, and parental involvement (Kocak, O et al. 2021). NIA's goals include building a community for black children and their families, nurturing solidarity among children through affection and play, strengthening black children's identity and positive self-image by acknowledging the greatness of African and Afro-Brazilian history and culture, mitigating the effects of racism, improving academic achievement, uncovering talents, and fostering creativity for authentic self-expression. We began operations in August 2023, serving 93 children and their families by December 2023, with 66% in the early childhood education age group (0-5 years). Our initiative has been embraced by the black community, with 98% of children and 92% of families being black. However, financial accessibility remains a challenge, with 28% unable to pay any fee and about 30% able to pay only the minimum. Our impact is measured qualitatively, with feedback from families highlighting positive changes in children's self-perception, sociability, and enthusiasm for activities. Essential factors for our continued success include scaling up, structuring operations, refining activities based on scientific evidence, and collecting data to monitor process and outcome indicators.

We have conducted extensive literature reviews on race and learning, exploring existing research on the impact of racial disparities on educational outcomes. These studies have provided valuable insights into the systemic challenges faced by black children in accessing quality education and the importance of initiatives like ours in addressing these issues. By synthesizing findings from academic journals, reports, and other relevant sources, we have built a comprehensive understanding of the root causes of educational inequities and the potential strategies for addressing them.

Furthermore, we have conducted qualitative research with the parents of children participating in our program. Through interviews, and surveys, we have sought feedback on the impact of our intervention on their children's academic performance, socio-emotional well-being, and sense of identity. These insights have been instrumental in assessing the effectiveness of our approach, identifying areas for improvement, and capturing the broader social and cultural benefits experienced by participants and their families.

Academic research underscores the benefits of cultural education for Black children, spanning identity development, academic achievement, cultural competence, resilience, well-being, and empowerment. Integrating culturally relevant content and perspectives into educational programs is paramount for fostering the comprehensive growth and success of Black children both within school and beyond.

Moreover, qualitative insights from parents and caregivers have shown the transformative impact of our program on children's socio-emotional well-being. Participants consistently express heightened self-confidence, resilience, and a profound sense of belonging—crucial elements for both academic attainment and overall flourishing.

Our research also underscores the pivotal role of cultural relevance in educational interventions tailored to Black children. By infusing elements of African and Afro-Brazilian culture into our curriculum, we cultivate a nurturing learning environment where children feel esteemed, validated, and deeply connected to their heritage.

Furthermore, data underscore the pivotal role of community engagement in fortifying the efficacy of our initiative. Through the active involvement of parents, caregivers, and community stakeholders in program activities, we foster a collective sense of ownership and shared responsibility for children's educational journey. This community-centric approach cultivates robust partnerships, instills trust, and bolsters the long-term sustainability of our endeavor.

Our greatest need at this moment is academic support for gathering quantitative and long-term evidence to help justify the relevance and improve our solution. This is an innovative educational initiative specifically tailored for black children, with the potential to contribute to reducing the persistent racial inequalities in learning and academic performance in Brazil.

Another area where we require support is in structuring a panel of indicators and establishing a data collection routine based on validated scales. This will enable us to monitor and demonstrate the positive impact of our actions and make necessary improvements.

This is the ideal time for us to engage with the LEAP initiative because we have already implemented a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that has garnered significant community support. However, we are currently operating with insufficient investment, relying on the willingness of volunteers to sustain our activities. We recognize the need to strengthen our concept with scientific evidence to qualify for and succeed in investment rounds. This will allow us to structure our operations, hire a team with appropriate skills, scale our solution, and monitor its impact.

What goals and impact indicators related to learning, positive self-conception, and a sense of belonging (for both children and families) can we establish to monitor in our project?

What are the evidence-based concepts and ideas that we need to include in the theory of change to enhance our solution and achieve our goal?

What knowledge and skills do we need to ensure that our pedagogical and management team develops to execute the solution according to our theory of change and efficiently?

Refinement of the Theory of Change Based on Scientific Evidence: We aim to enhance our approach through a thorough analysis of scientific evidence, focusing on elements that demonstrate proven impact. Given the innovative nature of our initiative and its lack of national parameters, we consider it essential to establish partnerships with researchers from Brazilian and American universities specializing in child development, racial studies, and education. These collaborations will allow us to deepen our understanding of the specifics of the formation of Black children's subjectivity in an exclusive environment of living and learning, as is the case with NIA. By continuously and longitudinally analyzing how a emotionally safe environment influences the socio-emotional level, performance, and learning of this group, we can further strengthen our approach. Additionally, these partnerships have the potential to raise awareness among policymakers about the importance of specific and effective policies for Black children, which have the potential to positively impact racial inequalities in the field of education.

Networking Establishment with Researchers or Other LEAP Fellows: We aim to expand our network through collaborations with researchers or other LEAP fellows who have academic research or initiatives similar to ours. These partnerships will allow us to continue developing joint actions, exchanging experiences, and sharing knowledge to further strengthen the impact of NIA.

Development of Questionnaire and Indicator Panel: We are working on the development of a data collection questionnaire and an indicator panel that will enable us to assess the impact of NIA more comprehensively and accurately. These tools will help us monitor progress and identify areas for improvement, allowing us to adjust our strategies as needed to better meet the needs of our target audience.

Elaboration of Selection Criteria: We are developing selection criteria that will help us identify and focus on our target audience, taking into account the pattern of racial formation in Brazil. These criteria will help us ensure that our actions are effectively targeted towards those who will benefit most from our work, thus contributing to a more significant and positive impact.

Our MVP was successful, and there was interest and engagement from our audience: Black families with children aged 0 to 12 years. Now we need seed investment to structure our operation.

STRUCTURING OUR OPERATION:

• Legal institutionalization of the project.
• Renting a space where we can offer daily activities.
• Expanding the range of activities on weekdays, with the possibility of operating during school off-hours, thereby increasing our own revenue potential.
• Establishing partnerships so that our space hosts activities led by Black professionals aligned with the NIA (our project’s objectives).
• Launching the Experimental Theater for Black Children course: an initiative in honor of the 80th anniversary of the TEN (Teatro Experimental do Negro).
• Hiring a minimal, paid team (no longer relying solely on volunteers) necessary for daily activities.
• Systematizing work processes.
• Collecting data for monitoring process and outcome indicators.
• Establishing an Advisory Council for meaningful community participation in strategic planning and action monitoring.

IMPACTS:

• Strengthening the Black community.
• Building a positive racial identity in Black children.
• Improving self-esteem and self-image.
• Creating a management model for Black children’s education led by the Black community itself.
• Protecting and valuing the childhood of Black children within the Black community.
• Access to qualified Black professionals.
• Expanding Black cultural repertoire.
• Expanding territory and redefining the importance of spaces within the city.
• Broadening languages and knowledge.
• Networking among Black individuals.
• Establishing ancestral memory among Black children and their families.
• Nurturing a love for knowledge.
• Enhancing academic performance.

HOW WE WILL SCALE:

• Today: We currently offer activities only on Saturdays, serving an average of 40 families per month.
• By 2024: With an investment that allows us to organize our operation, we will start offering educational workshops during school off-hours. This will expand our capacity to serve approximately 30 families per day, with children aged 4 to 12 years (15 in each session). Families can enroll and pay a monthly fee for activities held 1 to 5 times a week. On Saturdays, our focus will be on children aged 0 to 3 years, considering their strong engagement with our MVP, accommodating up to 30 families. Simultaneously, we will offer activities for the child’s family nucleus. There’s also the possibility of offering a B2B model for school off-hours.
• In 2 years: We will provide training through both in-person and online activities for families of Black children and education professionals. We’ll share our process of comprehensive Afro-referenced management and education.
• In 3 years: We’ll create the mobile Nia program, focused on organizing trips and cultural activities in locations relevant to African and Afro-diasporic memory, history, culture, and knowledge. This will allow participation from families not residing in cities where we operate.