More than just food
The Community Market is a community development project located in the community of Aguazinha, in Olinda.
The project is run in collaboration with the local church, with the aim of providing food and practical support to families who live in a situation of food insecurity and depend exclusively on government benefits.
Our Mission
Decrease the level of food insecurity in the community through provision of surplus food with practical support and pastoral care.
Context
Revive International exists to defend the rights of children and adolescents who are victims of negligence, violence, exploitation and sexual abuse. Surveys carried out by the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights indicate that more than 82% of cases of abuse are carried out by somebody known to the victim, with more than 76% of cases occurring at home. With that in mind, the Community Market exists to restore stability to the family unit. One of the ways to do this is to ensure that the entire family is fed every week, regardless of their income.
Food insecurity is a reality faced by many families in Brazil. According to the 2021 FAO Global Food Security Report, it’s estimated that 61.3 million people in Brazil (28.9% of the population) are in a situation of severe or moderate food insecurity. At the same time, one-third of food produced for human consumption is wasted every year and Brazil is among the top 10 countries for food waste. That’s why it’s such a priority to address this injustice. These statistics show the importance of projects such as the Community Market in Aguazinha, which aim to provide food and practical support to help families overcome this challenging situation. By using surplus food, we hope to help the planet as well as people. Feeding people, not bins!
How Does It Work?
The Community Market works in partnership with food suppliers and the local church to serve the most needy in the community, through access to surplus food, helping to meet their practical and emotional needs.
The market works by receiving surplus food from supermarkets, caterers, bakeries, restaurants and other local establishments. This food is then taken to Aguazinha, where a team of volunteers separates the food suitable for consumption and sets up a mini market. Supermarkets and food suppliers are essential to keep the population fed. As in any industry, there are products that either don’t sell or have inconsequential defects, such as packaging errors. We link up this excess food with people who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
The church is an established organization that already has a building well located to serve the community. The church also knows the local area and population well. It’s a great place therefore for the market to be held. But providing food is just one aspect of the project. In addition, the Community Market offers practical and spiritual support to families. Families are encouraged to participate in social activities at the market, such as chatting over coffee and a snack, and letting their children play with others. An invitation to participate in local church activities, including Sunday services, is also extended, however there is no requirement for those that come to the Community Market to become members of any church. The idea behind this invitation is to build relationships with the families, better understand their situations, and provide the specific and necessary practical support so that they no longer depend on the Community Market.
Providing food is just one aspect of the project. The Community Market also offers practical and spiritual support to families, alongside encouraging them to participate in social activities at the market, such as chatting over coffee and snacks and letting their children play together. There’s always an invitation to join with local church activities, including Sunday services and annual events. The idea behind this is to build relationships with the families, to better understand their situations and provide the specific and necessary practical support so that they no longer depend on the Community Market.
