2018–2024 – Normal Space and a Reference in Care for the Homeless Population
Created as a space for coexistence and care for people experiencing homelessness and drug users, it promotes welcoming, listening, and harm reduction. During the pandemic, it distributed meals and supported vaccination. Over the years, it expanded partnerships, engaged in policy advocacy, and faced challenges such as increased demand and the withdrawal of public services, consolidating itself as a hub of resistance and care.
2016 – Maré Public Civil Action
It arose after a police operation marked by serious violations, reported by Redes da Maré and residents. In partnership with the Public Defender’s Office, the action sought to reduce violence in operations, resulting in achievements such as restrictions on nighttime warrants, mandatory ambulance presence, cameras in vehicles, and GPS. It became a legal landmark in the defense of residents’ rights.
2013 – Maré Census and Maré on the City Map
Conducted by Redes da Maré and the Observatório de Favelas with residents’ associations, it filled gaps in the IBGE Census and mapped streets and alleys in Maré. The survey resulted in the incorporation of the Maré Map into the official registry and the production of strategic data that supported public policies. It became an essential instrument for research and future projects.
2012–2016 – Recognition of Maré Streets
The process of official recognition of Maré’s public thoroughfares is the result of a collective articulation involving social mobilization, production of territorial knowledge, and political pressure on public authorities. The starting point was in 2012, with the launch of the 1st Maré Street Guide by Redes da Maré, bringing together detailed information on existing thoroughfares. This guide was later updated and expanded in 2014, strengthening the technical and political basis for address regularization processes and making evident the absence of official names and ZIP codes on many streets in the region. Subsequently, articulations with the city government took place, aiming to advance the regularization of thoroughfares, involving residents, local organizations, residents’ associations, and community leaders. The effort culminated in the publication of several municipal decrees between 2016 and 2017, which officially recognized various localities in Maré.
2010–2018 – Creation of New School Units
In 2010, the collective The Maré We Want delivered to the then mayor a document systematizing the results of discussions among the leadership of Maré’s Residents’ Associations, with a joint proposal for structural transformations in the region. In education, the demand was to increase the number of schools for Early Childhood Education, High School, and Youth and Adult Education. In 2018, the group organized a second document with updated proposals. The expansion of municipal schools in recent years is the result of public education policies related to the National Education Plan 2014–2024, but also, and mainly, of the mobilization of residents and local institutions. As a result, the local public network expanded from 22 to 49 schools, strengthening access to formal education for the population of Maré.
