WORKING AND RECEPTION
This is the column Who Makes Redes, a compilation of the stories of people who build our organization and who work hard every day to do what we do best: actions and projects for residents of Maré. Learn about these stories, trajectories, experiences and the history of Redes da Maré itself - and how this work and the challenges faced since the pandemic have transformed them.
Alessandra Lima (42) is the type of person who doesn't stop. Like many ‘Mareense’ women, she pursues a more peaceful life for herself and her two children. During the pandemic, the spirit of hard working added up and made a difference for the Campaign Maré says NO to Coronavirus! Working on the campaign also made a difference in Alê's life, or how she saw the territory.
Alessandra was born in Parque União and at the age of 7 went to live with her family in Vila dos Pinheiros, in one of the houses of the National Housing Bank (BNH), where she lives today. She arrived at Redes da Maré when she heard about a vacancy to work in the support team, as indicated by her friend and neighbor, our collaborator Helio Euclides. He already knew a quality of Alê that ended up becoming famous here at Redes da Maré, the spice of her food.
“Before working here, I didn't even know about Rede's work. I have never felt so good working anywhere”, she comments. In March, she completes three years here with us. In addition to the security she feels about working close to home and having her own income, she highlighted the way she is welcomed by everyone, from the direction to the visitors: “here we feel welcomed and embraced by people”.
During the pandemic, Alê worked at the Maré’s Women House producing the meals, which in the last seven months reached around 50 thousand and continue to be delivered to the homeless population. “Since March, everyone has been adding up. Nobody ran from anything”. One of the things that most caught her attention during the campaign was that spirit of working hard and together.
It has also been remarkable for her to be able to get closer and get to know the situation of the territory better. A scene that marked her a lot was during the distribution of food baskets, in Praia de Ramos: when she arrived in a building occupied by many families, a boy, about 7 years old, celebrated the arrival of the food. "Not even the people who live here know the conditions that many families live in," she says.
With all that she heard and saw during these months, what Alê expects for the post-pandemic is “that the human being becomes more understanding, more friendly, that helps the other more” and that all the solidarity continues. Hopefully, Alê!
