Penzberg - It's like a Christmas story: A lot has happened in the Mae Luiza poor district in Brazil - thanks in part to help from Penzberg.
It is a development that is truly worthy of a Christmas story: the run-down favela Mae Luiza in the Brazilian metropolis Natal has developed into a district with social and cultural offers for around four decades.
Thanks to people who stand up for others - like the Penzberg partnership association.
A new book describes what has been achieved.
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The Centro Socio at the Church of Mae Luiza was initiated by Padre Sabino and opened in 1983.
© Repro Baar
In 1983 the Centro Socio opens
The area of today's Mae Luiza not far from the Atlantic coast was not settled until the 1940s. In 1951 the striking lighthouse was built in the dunes. The quarter with around 15,000 inhabitants has developed from a typical favela into a quarter with a better infrastructure. In 1981 the first church was built in the poor community. The milestone came on December 8, 1983: The Centro Socio opened its doors in the church annex. The driving force was Padre Sabino Gentili from Italy. A kindergarten, the Casa Crescer educational center and a senior center followed. The friends in Penzberg played a significant part in the projects: Padre Sabino and the pastor at the time, Konrad Albrecht, met in 1983 and became friends. The partnership association was created later. There are also supporters in Kochel.After the death of Padre Sabino in 2006, the commitment of the Penzbergers continued, the Swiss Ameropa Foundation also increased its commitment - among other things, it had the sports center, which opened in 2014, built.
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The modern sports center in Mae Luiza was financed by the Ameropa Foundation and opened in 2014.
© Repro Baar
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The new book shows the development of Mae Luiza - the help from Penzberg also appears in it.
© Andreas Baar
A new book now shows the history of the district and its positive development. Under the title “Mae Luiza - dare to be optimistic”, the illustrated volume documents how targeted investments can be used to build a community, create identity and promote neighborhood initiatives. The well-known Brazilian author Paulo Lins was also won over for the work with his novel “The Origin of a New Sun”. With the book "it becomes clear how important it is to 'stay tuned'", says Gisela Matschl, chairwoman of the Penzberg partnership. "Short-term support cannot achieve such comprehensive results," she affirms and adds: "Education in particular is a long-term necessity."Housing and basic medical care for independent living is "a long way and requires ongoing support".
The book
“Mae Luiza - Dare to be optimistic”.
Edited by Ion de Andrade, Nicola Miescher, Tomislav Dushanov, Lars Müller.
Lars Müller Publishers, Ameropa Foundation.
276 pages, 35 euros.
ISBN 978-3-03778-689-5.
Pope should get a book
According to Matschl, the book was so convincing that Father Roberio, pastor in Mae Luiza, and Dr.
Ion Andrade, who is volunteering as a doctor and organizer in the quarter, turned to the Bishop of the Archdiocese of Natal: Dom Matias wants to travel to Rome next year and present the work to Pope Francis.
“Is it Christmas stories when people stand up for others even though they don't really have to?” Asks the Penzberg club chairwoman Gisela Matschl and answers immediately: “Then it's a Christmas story that is happening in Mae Luiza. "