Three new volunteers were welcomed by the Instituto Moinho Cultural Sul-Americano this month, through a partnership with Exchange do Bem. This partnership aims not only to add efforts to the institution, but also to provide an enriching experience for participants, allowing them to contribute to Moinho Cultural’s work and explore the border region between Brazil and Bolivia.
Exchange do Bem is a social enterprise dedicated to promoting volunteering, connecting people willing to help with a wide range of projects around the world. With more than 70 options in Africa, Asia and Latin America, the organization offers opportunities for meaningful volunteer exchanges.
One of the volunteers now part of Moinho Cultural is Daniel Guimarães, a student of Architecture and Urbanism at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro). He shares his expectation of stepping away from the Rio de Janeiro routine during this volunteer period and dedicating himself to a cause he considers admirable. Guimarães chose Moinho Cultural for its connection to the arts and for the positive impact it has on the lives of the children served.
“I want to enjoy the vacation in a calmer place while working for a cause I admire. I chose Moinho Cultural because I wanted to be in a place completely surrounded by the arts. I was also very impacted by the power of transformation in the lives of the children served,” he said.
The founder of Exchange do Bem, Eduardo Mariano, highlights the organization’s commitment to supporting social projects and making the world a better place for those it can reach. He points out that Moinho Cultural is unique among Exchange do Bem’s partners, using music and dance as tools to help children in situations of social vulnerability.
“Volunteers always look for transformative experiences, and Moinho Cultural manages to provide this to volunteers by presenting them with a project full of art and culture, made by wonderful people. In addition, the fact that it is located at the gateway to the Pantanal, on the border with Bolivia, is a great draw, since Brazilian volunteers have the opportunity to get to know a new region,” says the founder of Exchange do Bem.
For Mariano, the opportunity offered by Moinho Cultural for transformative experiences attracts volunteers seeking to contribute to meaningful causes. He emphasizes the location of Moinho Cultural, situated at the gateway to the Pantanal and on the border with Bolivia, as an additional draw for volunteers, providing the opportunity to explore a new region.
The executive director of Moinho Cultural, Márcia Rolon, celebrates the arrival of the volunteers, highlighting the value they add to the institution and the positive impact on its cultural mission. She emphasizes the importance of receiving volunteers from diverse backgrounds, as this enriches the organization’s practices and perceptions, strengthening its commitment to cultural promotion.
Thus, the partnership between Moinho Cultural and Exchange do Bem not only strengthens the institution’s work, but also offers a valuable opportunity for volunteers to engage in meaningful work and explore a new cultural reality.
