Members of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Global Fellows Network had the opportunity to experience the vibrant and inspiring community of Baixada Maranhão in northeast Brazil. This rural region is home to quilombos, which are communities established by formerly enslaved Black and Indigenous people. The fellows were deeply moved by the collective spirit, resilience and resistance of these communities, which served as a powerful inspiration for their own work.
The gathering was organized by Maria Regina Martins Cabral, a GFN fellow and director of the Instituto Formação. Since 2009, the institute has worked with the Instituto Baixada to determine regional funding priorities for the region. “Every two years, we held territorial development and youth meetings, bringing together movements, community associations, teachers, farmers and youth groups to discuss what kind of development the Baixada territory really needs and build a work agenda for community philanthropy in this territory through genuine listening,” said Cabral.
“After a beautiful and intense time of reflection on the structure of these meetings, we decided to transform it into a time to share with other people and organizations, not only from the territory but also with people and organizations that do and support actions similar to ours,” she added.
This meeting has transformed into “Cazumbada: Educational territories that revolutionize local development.” The name was chosen to honor the cazumba, a well-known ox-like character from the Baixada Maranhão region that evokes a mix of emotions, including fear, annoyance and amusement, all at the same time.
“The Cazumbada is that encounter with the unknown, which can scare many, but in reality, is an extremely affectionate and joyful encounter — an encounter of knowledge in little-known places, but with power,” said Cabral.
