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Joelma Souza

TRANSFORMATION AND RECOGNITION

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.

Joelma Sousa has been at Redes da Maré for 10 years. She started doing the Census Maré and never left. “Redes brings to us, to those who belong to Maré and to those who are from elsewhere, that feeling of eternal love”, that's how the social worker summed up her relationship with the organization. Joelma was born and raised in Maré. She was a resident of Nova Holanda and Parque Maré.

It was during the pandemic that she discovered more about herself, and, above all, about the importance and impact of the work she does. She did a little bit of everything in the 'Maré says NO to Coronavirus' campaign, coordinated the disinfection work on the streets of Maré and applied herself to the management of the social team and meeting some important demands, such as those that required home visits. And that was when she realized that she needed to do even more for people like those with whom she had contact.Joelma says that she left one of these visits very affected by the economic, emotional and even physical vulnerability of a mother who had recently lost her son. That moment made her recognize that the work done by her and Redes da Maré went far beyond actions to face the pandemic crisis. She realized that her role there also represented a place of listening.

What Joelma expects for the post-pandemic is that the rights, guaranteed by our Constitution, will become effective: “Redes da Maré transformed me into the person and professional that I am today, in the ‘Joelmas ’ that I am today. I hope to be a professional of excellence, a resident of reference. May I give back everything that Maré gave me”. We told her: “you already are, Joelma!

Rio de Janeiro, september 29, 2020.