What is MAIS UM?
It all began with a simple idea: "lets help those in need". With education, food, clothes, lessons or whatever was possible.
Two friends had the wish to make a difference and a few other friends wanted to join. These friends had other friends who also wanted to make a difference and so MAIS UM was born, a project with flexible ways of helping where anyone can make a positive difference!
MAIS UM (from portuguese "Plus One" or "One more") assumes that anyone can help in his or her own way. By bringing used books, supporting our events and programmes or creating your own event. We all have the power to change lives and this can be your opportunity.
Want to help? So be MAIS UM!
Our Mission
MAIS UM's mission is to partner with poor communities and facilitate their access to knowledge, tools and resources which will enable them to lift themselves out of cycles of poverty. We would like to support people to live in a better community with improved conditions of sanitation, health, access to education, culture and wellbeing.
How we work: The "PLUG IN" Model
The "plug-in" model was inspired by Marquinhos, Coroado's Community leader. Marquinhos explained how he manages to apply for projects in different organisations, NGOs and to the government. He comes to know about projects through other communities and his personal network which also reaches out to other poor communities like Coroado. Once his applications are awarded, he oversees the project from the Community Centre himself while the other organisation undertakes it.
We then thought: What if we help Marquinhos to plug the community to more projects? And what if he had administrative and coordination support? What if we could use our very busy friends and contacts to make a positive impact in the community by simply recommending the community to existing solutions for their problems? What if we could change people's lives for the better?
Our organisational model is pretty simple but it works. MAIS UM works directly with the community leader and the community members. We create a sort of "organised core engine" with them to plug the efforts of many organisations, people, churches or companies who are willing to make of the community a better place to live.
Anyone can be a MAIS UM. You too. Get in touch with us, we will check what's the best way for you to be useful with your time, experience, your donations or simply your contacts!
Participatory Approach
As it is impossible to to achieve true personal development without internal willingness for such, we believe that it is also not possible for a community to develop without their own motivation and mobilisation.
Our goal is to find and incite these sources of motivation in communities, involve all relevant people, create momentum among them and facilitate access to knowledge, tools and funding which will allow them to achieve their common goals and aspirations.
Want to know more? Get in touch with us! We'll love to chat about how to make communities better. Our email is info@coroado.org
Our Team
Our team is composed by a very multi-disciplinary crowd. We find this great because we are never short of good ideas. Apart from the melting pot of nationalities (We are Brazilians, Polish, Dutch, Trini...) we are pretty multi-disciplinary too. Our network includes professionals from social sciences, international relations, education, engineers, managers, lawyers and even bankers. They are always supporting us in what is needed. From making an event happen to helping us with the numbers!
What united everyone was this great wish to make a positive impact in the life of people, fostering altruism and love for a better Community. We are sure that this is the most important feeling and is our main driver.
Our Partners
Our partners are fantastic and give us essential support for the development of our activities. be it with knowledge, contacts or helping to pay for some of our bills.
Get to know our corporate partners:
Our partners are fantastic and give us essential support for the development of our activities. be it with knowledge, contacts or helping to pay for some of our bills.
Get to know our corporate partners:
Izanagi Design is an interactive design agency which works with brands and people, using design to seduce, communicate and create relationships. The "Izanagos" (or the very nice people work for Izanagi) give us support in design, video edition and social media. They created our website campaign for the floods in Rio. Check it out here
Visit their website - we recommend their work! (Portuguese only) www.izanagi.com.br
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ludic Group is a UK based company which provides innovation, strategy and design services to some of the world’s most recognised enterprises and organisations. The Ludic Group supports MAIS UM workshops lending their methods and sponsoring some of our events. The strategic involvement of the company goes beyond sponsoring punctual events to become a key adviser in innovative thinking for MAIS UM.
Visit their website (English only): www.ludicgroup.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandbox Network is a community for global leaders and unites some of the brightest minds of the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. The cradle of MAIS UM, Sandbox supports leaders, like MAIS UM founders to establish and nurture partnerships which are meaningful and help people to realise their next big idea.
Visit their website: www.sandbox-network.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Want to know more? Be in touch. We'd love to answer your questions and talk about how to make a better world. Our contact email is info@coroado.org