Organização de Mulheres Negras Quilombolas, Salvador, Brazil

Afro-Brazilian culture permeates the streets of Salvador, Bahia – with sights of samba dancers, pungent smells of acarajé (deep-fried bread and beans) and the rhythmic drumbeats of young men. Less visible, however, are the countless women who work as domestic workers and prostitutes. Many of these women are of African descent, live in poverty and encounter intense racial discrimination and police violence. They struggle daily to avoid the common fate of their peers – drug addiction and sex-trafficking.

Acutely aware of this struggle, Organização de Mulheres Negras Quilombolas offers alternative livelihoods. It organizes projects for young women that enable them to earn an income while preserving their Afro-Brazilian culture, promoting environmental sustainability, and improving their mental and physical health.

Bahian woman selling acarajé on the streets of Salvador.

Through a partnership with a local house of Candomblé, the women learn how to produce natural medicine, teas, candy and baby food from tropical fruits and vegetables. Candomblé is a sacred Afro-Brazilian religion brought to Brazil from Africa that applies traditional healing methods using natural medicines. Sagacious Candomblé healers pass their knowledge and skills to the young women who earn a profit by selling their natural products.

The founders of Organização de Mulheres Negras Quilombolas are black women activists – local leaders in a broader movement aimed at preserving Afro-Brazilian culture. The group's name refers to Brazil's slave history: quilombolas were communities built by black slaves seeking refuge and resisting slavery. Today, the group is forming communities of young Afro-Brazilian women who are resisting the violence and poverty of the streets. As one of the group's leaders explained, "We want to break this vicious cycle and develop alternative income-generating projects that rescue our traditions, raise women's self-esteem, and provide women with the opportunity to dream and be happy."

The Global Fund awarded a grant of $10,000 to Organização de Mulheres Negras Quilombolas in 2001.