João Davi de Morais Barbosa Saraiva
A passionate journalist, João has been sharing stories about the power of education to transform lives for other children living in his favela for the past three years. Since interning at newspaper outlets and recording his own podcasts and documentaries, he’s shed light on critical issues in his community including climate change, street violence and access to education.
“The story I tell is about the importance of and challenges faced by Arpoador Daycare, located in Pirambu, which is considered the seventh largest favela in Brazil. This story has a personal connection to me since the director of the daycare is my grandmother. For years, I’ve witnessed her tireless volunteer work to provide free, high-quality early childhood education in an underserved community. I grew up seeing how much this daycare changes the daily life of families living in poverty or vulnerability within our community.
Early childhood is an important phase in a child’s development. In a place like Pirambu, where many families face systemic exclusion, the daycare offers a real chance to start breaking the cycle of inequality. This issue matters to show the importance of investing in early childhood to build a more just and equitable society for the world.
I hope this story inspires community leaders, policymakers and the broader public to prioritise early childhood in their agendas. I want people to understand the urgency of expanding access to early childhood education in underserved areas and to encourage families to enroll their children. Investing in the early years is a powerful initial step toward lasting social transformation.”