AMALYRA
Associação Martiliano Manoel Lyra
Ile Ásè Ala Koro Wo
History:
AMALYRA is a non-governmental and non-profit organization which was born in a house of Candomblé. Conceived in 1989 by Yalorisa Torody D’ Ogum who realized that people who were sought her help were seeking solutions to problems that were not only religious but also social. So The Ladislaus Alternative Treatment Center Lyra was founded on July 6, 1990 offering alternative treatments (crystal therapy, color therapy, regression, aromatherapy and others), fluoride application and psychological support to families living with HIV.
In 1998 the Center became the Associacao. Martiliano Manoel Lyra -
Mission:
To spread the knowledge of African culture and its influence on the economic, historical, political and cultural life of
To promote and preserve the manifestations of art and Afro-Brazilian culture culture, by the reviving the cultural richness left us by people of African origin.
To encourage the formation of a historical consciousness about our ethnographic roots, seeking to build an identity of African descent as the key to coexistence, diversity and civic engagement.
To promote the social, cultural, economic and civic developn of social, cultural ment of the Brazilian population especially those of African descent living in low income communities, organizing around combating poverty, fighting for human rights and preserving the environment through social, cultural and educational projects.
Donations: 70% of readings( jogos de buzios) and 100% of spiritual work done by Yalorissa Torody goes to the How to Learn Project
A portion of the funds come from Criola’s project Iya Agba.
The campaign to adopt a child in school (made in ASE) receives donations from individuals and companies to purchase school supplies and school furniture (desks, chairs, tables, closets), school equipment such as computers, as well as to pay for food, utilities, clothing and footwear.
Major Obstacles
The lack of resources hamper long-term planning, equipment maintenance, renovation and expansion of the building where all the programs take place.
The loss of volunteers.
The Amalyra is Divided into Four Components:
I) KORO ALA ILE ASE WO: It's for the celebration and dissemination of Candomblé’s worship, the religion of the Yoruba (or Nago), which served as a model for all other Afro-Brazilian religions.
II) OYA -
III) IBEJI - CENTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE AFRO-BRAZILIAN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: It is designed to develop and support projects to defend the rights of children and adolescents of African descent, particularly those in low income communities and at social risk, providing access to education, culture and technology information, communication, professional and job training , better living conditions and health care, as well as making them aware of the importance of knowing African history.
IV), ILU AYE - CENTER FOR ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: It is designed to develop and support projects that make Afro- Brazilians, especially the ones residing in low-income communities, aware of the importance of preserving the environment for a better quality of life for their families. It also promotes ecology as a tool for sustainable development and strategies that support public policies that protect the environment.
Major projects in 2008 / 2009
Learning How to Learn Project - (Recreation, Literacy, and School Enhancement), lectures on African culture and history, teaching of Yoruba and English languages, Digital Inclusion, Citizenship and Health, Environmental and Education, Art Workshops and Sports, African Culture Workshops of music and dance (Capoeira , Maculelê, Jongo, Cafezal, Puxada de Rede, Slave Ship and Samba de Roda); provides food, school supplies, uniforms; as well , pediatric , psychological and nutritional services. Served 80 children and teenagers of African descent and other minorities, in the low-income communities of
Ase Culture - Institutional Strengthening for Religious Communities of African descent and other groups that wish to develop or start a social project.
The Reading Citizen – Storytellers literacy project for youth and adults .
Community of Doctors - Mobilization of professionals from the health field, to conduct free consultations from various specialties.
Aso Odara - Fashion workshop of Afro-Brazilian culture. (Job training and income generating project for women of African descent)
Iya Agba - (partnership with Criola) - Training in urban self-defense for socially vulnerable women of African descent.
Dental Treatment - Oral Health on wheels: a partnership with the committee of former employees of Embratel .
They Do It Differently Project - Training for women in fabric painting, stamping and silk, in partnership with Criola and support of the EESC.
They Do It Differently Project: Workshops on how to generate income by recycling, cooking and self-esteem offered to 160 women in partnership with the Criola Project and the support from the Office of Policies for Women. In 2009 thanks to financial support we received from Melania Project we improved the structure of our kitchen and appliances and we able to continue the workshops.
Iya Agba - (partnership with the Criola Project) - Meetings to disseminate information about Law 11340 (Maria da Penha Law, which made domestic violence a crime in
Presentations (
Afro-Brazilian Memories Project - Speaking of Our Heroes. Interviews (Noemia Duke), Hip Hop Shop (Cesar Maicon) and Photography Workshop (Gennaro Garcia) Neighborhood of Old Sale 2008/2009. AMALYRA, Université Laval, University Candido Mendes, CIDAN .**
We recently conducted the following activities:
Workshop - Formulation of Social Projects for African Traditional Communities
September 02, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Protest - Day of national mobilization for better health care services to the African-Brazilian population - 27 October, 27th 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In partnership with Criola Project, National Network of Afro-Brazilian Religions and Health, with the presence of Communities-Yard, Pastoral Afro, Black Women's Christian Forum, APNs, Grucon, House of Culture, Odara, Weaving Project Income Afoxé maxambomba, Political leaders and the Black Movement.
Half-Time Program ( Amalyra / Cedem / Federal Government) - Sports activities. Funding ended March 2007, leaving our children without lunch.
Zero Hunger Programme - Partnership with SEPPIR to distribute food baskets in the first 6 months of the agreement we distributed 40 baskets (late 2005). In 2006 the families involved in this action at a meeting of Learning How to Lear Project decided to support the new goal of the project to combat child malnutrition. The families donated 20 baskets monthly, but unfortunately the funding from October 2006 (8 steps), was reduced from 40 to just 10 baskets, and the funding ended in 2007.
Heirs of Aye – Environmental Education and Afro-Brazilian Culture (from a Yoruba’s point of view which; i.e “ everything is sacred”.
Other important activities:
First Meeting of Communal Teaching – Case study of the Learning How to Learn Project. August 2005.
Color of Culture / Project Mojuba - (Futura), participation of students and volunteers from Project Learning How to Learn. 2005.
Social exchange – Hosted two American university students who came to learn Portuguese ,the culture and the social situation of Afro-Brazilians and to provide social services. The first one stayed for 20 days, the second one stayed for 40 days, from May to August 2006.
In recent years we have been approached by several groups (NGOs, researchers, teachers, students, etc.) from all over the world interested in the African cultural, culinary, and religious traditions, the reality of Afro-Brazilians and the ways to combat the problems faced by this population.
Activities Performed by The Amalyra Project
2003
• Campaign to collect non-perishable food next to our religious community to feed the homeless
• Donation of clothes
• Campaign collection of food to feed the homeless
• Leisure and cultural excursions: Quinta da Boa Vista, Botanical Gardens, Waterfall Xerém, Theatres, Museums, Play City (Park), Parade of Children’s Samba Schools.
• Campaign for collecting non-perishable food with the help of other Candomble and Umbanda’s House for the poor communities.
• Donate to “Those who need and receive from those who have” campaign.
• Kitchen Soup campaign
• Cultural Tours / partnership with ICAPRA
• Christmas Without Hunger Campaign / partnership with ICAPRA
2004
• Dental treatment for children of Learning How to Learn Project and children of the community.
• Mobilization of professionals in health who provided free care in the specialties of cardiology, pediatrics, general practice and free medications.
• Recreation and cultural workshops (Lectures on African History and Culture, Health and Environmental Education Workshops for the Arts, Capoeira, African Dance, African Percussion, Maculelê, Samba de Roda and others).
• Training and generating income workshops (sewing, embroidery, dyeing and painting fabric.)
• Afro- Models Contest
• Campaign for collecting non-perishable food next to our religious community to feed the homeless
• Donation of clothes
• Campaign to collect food in our religious community to feed the homeless
• Forum for the discussion of rights in support of art, culture and Afro-Brazilian religion, which also addressed the relationship between Afro-Brazilian religions and the preservation of the environment, its role in politics, society and the formation of an awareness of the ethnographic roots of our identity and the construction of African descent.
• Mobilization of professionals in health who provided free care in the specialties of cardiology, pediatrics, general practice and free medications.
• Recreation and cultural workshops (Lectures on African History and Culture, Health and Environmental Education Workshops for the Arts, Capoeira, African Dance, African Percussion, Maculelê, Samba de Roda and others).
• Training and generating income workshops (sewing, embroidery, dyeing and painting fabric.)
• Afro- Models Contest
• Campaign for collecting non-perishable food next to our religious community to feed the homeless
• Donation of clothes
• Campaign to collect food in our religious community to feed the homeless
• Forum for the discussion of rights in support of art, culture and Afro-Brazilian religion, which also addressed the relationship between Afro-Brazilian religions and the preservation of the environment, its role in politics, society and the formation of an awareness of the ethnographic roots of our identity and the construction of African descent.
Oral Health on Wheels (partnership with the committee of former employees of Embratel
• Community of Doctors Ladislaus Lyra
• Learning How to Learn Project
• Aso Odara Fashion Afro Brazilian
• Donate to those who need and receive from those who have campaign
• Soup Kitchen project
Socio-cultural Afro-Brazilian Day. Partnership with House of Culture
2005
• Learning How to Learn Project
• Aso Odara Fashion Afro Brazilian
• Donate to those who need and receive from those who have campaign
• Soup Kitchen project
Socio-cultural Afro-Brazilian Day. Partnership with House of Culture
2005
• African Dance, Percussion (african), Capoeira, Basic Computer, Football, Lambaeróbica, Recreation, Gameman, Videomania, Accounting Concepts of Quality and Cost Benefit, Culinary and Chromotherapy.
• Lectures on African History and Culture, Health and Environmental Education Workshops for Arts, Capoeira, African Dance, African Percussion, Maculelê, Samba de Roda and others.
• Physical Edecation, Basketball, Self Defense, African Percussion, Capoeira, Lambaeróbica, Dance Therapy, therapy & Crystals.
• Dental treatment for children Learning Learning Project (School Differentiated Wilhelmina Lyra) and children of the community. • Summer Camp - Summer Courses
• Learning How to Lean Project
• Project Sport Culture and Leisure
• Oral Health on wheels (partnership with the Committee of the former employees of Embratel).
• Lectures on African History and Culture, Health and Environmental Education Workshops for Arts, Capoeira, African Dance, African Percussion, Maculelê, Samba de Roda and others.
• Physical Edecation, Basketball, Self Defense, African Percussion, Capoeira, Lambaeróbica, Dance Therapy, therapy & Crystals.
• Dental treatment for children Learning Learning Project (School Differentiated Wilhelmina Lyra) and children of the community. • Summer Camp - Summer Courses
• Learning How to Lean Project
• Project Sport Culture and Leisure
• Oral Health on wheels (partnership with the Committee of the former employees of Embratel).
