KIT NOSSOS DIREITOS (KIT OUR RIGHTS)

For the sixth kit, we’ve brought together two books that are very special to us at Caixote; they showcase the work of listening to and amplifying the voices of 250 children and adolescents living in the favelas of Maré (Rio de Janeiro). Do you already have them all? You get a 20% discount when you buy the kit.

EU DEVIA ESTAR NA ESCOLA (I SHOULD BE AT SCHOOL)

A mix of emotions arises when I reflect on the words spoken by the boys and girls in Eu devia estar na escola (I Should Be at School). It is a book that moves us and stirs our most primal emotions, sadness, fear, joy, anger... It prompts us to reflect on the right to a childhood in Brazil and the right to experience it while receiving the necessary care. It is painful to think that a portion of Brazilian children must fight to stay alive from such an early age. Yet, I am inspired by how children from the Maré favelas draw attention to their plight and proclaim that the violence they endure should not be a part of their lives without society acknowledging the absurdity of it all. (Eliana Sousa Silva, director and founder of the NGO Redes da Maré.)

Eu devia estar na escola is a book narrated and illustrated by many children and young people living in the Maré favelas; they recount what it is like to experience childhood amidst the frequent, violent police operations employed by the Brazilian government to combat the equally violent retail drug trade.

PARA CRESCER E SER FELIZ (TO GROW UP AND BE HAPPY)

This book grew out of the creation of Eu devia estar na escola (Editora Caixote, 2024); during that process, a desire emerged to document their dreams, their potential, their aspirations, and, above all, what they considered non-negotiable for living a good life.

It is beautiful to envision a better future together, even though revisiting painful memories can be difficult. Inviting every child and adolescent to speak about a collective dream is a profound undertaking. After all, amidst so much violence, the very possibility of dreaming of a better place often slips away. And who are the children and young people whose right to dream of the future is actually guaranteed?

Here, together, children, adolescents, and adults from diverse backgrounds, we reflect on and assert what is needed "to grow up and be happy".