Rio Claro Unit

With the beginning of activities in March 2002, the city of Rio Claro (SP), with nearly 185 thousand inhabitants, 13.5% of which are under the poverty line according to the latest IBGE survey, received the first Consulado da Mulher unit. The work, always in line with local government policies and actions, began with a partnership with Rio Claro City Hall’s Secretary of Social Action.

Through the Program for the Eradication of Child Labor (PETI), 160 people will be trained in the bakery, recycling and arts and crafts areas. Over time, this assistance process grew with those participating in the initiative, but access to the first incentive for income generation was still lacking, like working capital, fundamental for purchasing means of production, for example.

Meanwhile, Program for the Eradication of Child Labor (PETI) groups grew, but access to credit for working capital and for purchasing means of production so they could move forward was still lacking.

In order to cover that demand, City Hall and Consulado da Mulher joined together in a new partnership and in June 2004 the Ponto de Encontro/Usina do Trabalho space was born. It would hold several enterprises in the laundry, arts and crafts and food areas, in spaces equipped and ready to produce and sell products and services.

Today, this space concentrates most of Consulado da Mulher’s activities in Rio Claro, which is also active in the city’s outlying neighborhoods, carrying out assistance activities for income generation and counting on volunteers and partners.