ACVM organization helps people in need, and Rio+20 Peruvian delegation as well

The ACVM (Associação de Comunidades de Vida Mariana, or Association of Marian Life Communities) headquarters at Rio de Janeiro hosted staff from CONDESAN, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the Peruvian delegation during the Rio+20 Summit, as well as members from other international organisations. ACVM is committed to evangelization and helping poor people in Brazil. They also work with young people, in order to help them socialize, and by offering leadership courses and counselling.

ACVM staff provided huge support to the Mountain Pavilion delegation in many aspects of their participation at the Rio Summit, and also provided logistical support to the Peruvian delegation.

ACVM was created in 1968 by a group of young people who dreamed of bringing evangelization to marginalized youth. This organization is associated with the Catholic Church, but they do not overlook people with different religious beliefs, says José Batista Sobrinho, an ACVM member.

About 25 communities and groups are ACVM partners, with a total of 480 people who help in different activities, such as courses, retreats and meetings, plus 30 volunteers who help at the headquarters. They offer comfort to more than 250 people per week, with a weekly dinner for the homeless, as well as providing free courses and counselling, as mentioned above.

The association is supported by voluntary contributions and donations only; they have no support from the government or private companies. Other means of income include festivals, contests and charity dinners.

Interview with José Batista Sobrinho, by Vitor Luiz de Sousa Oliveira Silva

How, when, by whom was the house started?

The ACVM (Associação de Comunidades de Vida Mariana - Association of Marian Life Communities) began in 1968 with a group of young people who dreamed of bringing evangelization to marginalized youth, in other words, with the less privileged. We began our work by giving leadership courses for young people who wanted to work with other young people in evangelism. Our great idea was to help young people in overcoming certain prejudices, for example in relation to youth from marginalized areas that have difficulty meeting the standards of other more privileged youth. This was very clear to us during that time.

Since the demand for our movement grew, it became necessary to have a place where we could accommodate the large number of young people who came to us. So we built a house that could accommodate everyone in our capacity building events. In 1992 we felt the need to conduct social work with the needy. This work has matured and in 1996, we opened our doors to work with homeless people, who are the most in need in our society.

What is the house called?

The house is the center of the ACVM (Associação de Comunidades de Vida Mariana- Association of Marian Life Communities) 

Who owns the land and the house?

The house and the land on which it is built belong to the Society of Jesus, and have been lent to the ACVM (so it is a loan).

What kind of religious association is ACVM? Does it also help people from other faiths?

We are a religious association of the Catholic Church, but our work is developed within the norms of ecumenism. We do not ask about the religion of the people we help but we strive to be worthy of respect in our society.

How is the house supported? Who donates and how?

The ACVM and its work are supported by voluntary contributions, so far there are no business or government organizations financing us. Donations come from friendly people and supporters of our association and from people who feel connected to our work. Donations are either in kind (the food that comes directly to our house), or cash, deposited in our bank account. We are legally recognized as a philanthropic institution.

What do you do to sustain yourselves apart from donations?

e organize festivals, contests and charity dinners and when working with people in need, either with courses or retreats, we always ask for a contribution from the participants, no matter how small it may be.

How many people work in the house? Are they paid? Do they live there? Who supports their dependents, such as children?

There are about 25 communities affiliated to the Association, as well as 8 “pre-communities”, giving an estimated total of 330 people and 150 people who help in conducting courses, retreats and meetings, and about 30 volunteers who help in the house.

Not everyone who works with ACVM lives in the house. Currently, only seven people live in the house, supported by grants made to the house and from the other available funds.

Could you tell me briefly about the girl who recently became a mother and her boyfriend? Are there others like them staying in the house?

The couple, who live with us now, used to live on the streets. We received them  two months ago, we found the mother delivering the baby in the street and took her to the hospital. Ten days after the child’s birth, the hospital staff asked us to give them shelter, that’s what happened. We are trying to organize the documentation of the child’s father, who already has a job. In a similar situation, we welcomed a young man who is now 17 years of age.