Edible plant workshops. Capoeira. Percussion. Permaculture gardening. And a community and cultural space in a poor district of Alvorada, Brazil that runs on solidarity, creativity, and environmental awareness. ICJA is offering an ESC Humanitarian Aid Volunteering placement with ABIC-ICYE Brasil at the Umbúntu Social Project — for young Europeans aged 18–35 who want to combine humanitarian work with hands-on ecological practice in one of South America's most vibrant community settings.
🏘️ About the Umbúntu Social Project
Umbúntu provides a community and cultural space in a poor district of Alvorada city. Their activities span edible plant processing, handicrafts, capoeira, percussion, and language teaching — all rooted in a commitment to environmentally sustainable practices. The project combines cultural expression with practical ecological work, making it a genuinely unique placement for volunteers interested in both community development and green living.
🎯 The Role
Volunteers will have a hands-on experience in the full range of Umbúntu's activities — from workshop facilitation and cultural programming to farming, permaculture gardening, construction, and other manual activities. The main aims are to provide humanitarian aid, raise climate change awareness, and encourage discussions on green alternatives.
📋 What You'll Do
🌿 Participate in farming and permaculture gardening activities
🏗️ Contribute to construction and manual work as part of the eco-project
🥁 Support workshops on capoeira, percussion, handicrafts, and edible plant processing
📚 Assist with language teaching activities at the community space
🌍 Help raise climate change awareness and facilitate discussions on green alternatives
🤝 Contribute to the community and cultural life of the Umbúntu space in Alvorada
🎁 What the Project Provides
🏠 Shared flat with hot and cold water, WiFi, washing machine, and private and shared spaces
🍽️ Breakfast and dinner at home on weekdays — lunch and snacks provided by the project. All meals at home on weekends. Focus on organic produce throughout
🚌 Transportation to and from the project via local bus or Uber
💶 Monthly pocket money of €250
📚 Pre-departure online training and on-arrival training in Brazil
🧑🏫 A knowledgeable daily mentor supporting smooth integration into community activities
📊 Mid-term evaluation after 4–5 months and final evaluation before departure
🔄 Follow-up meeting 2–3 months after returning home
For more information: 🔗 https://www.icja.de/content/freiwilligendienste/programme/humanitarian-aid-volunteering#panel-4927-0
✅ Eligibility Requirements
This is a Humanitarian Aid Volunteering placement:
🔞 Aged 18–35
🌍 Must reside in an eligible country (EU Member State, North Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Türkiye)
📅 Must be available for the full six-month period
✅ Must have completed the compulsory face-to-face Humanitarian Aid Volunteering training
🚫 Must not have participated before in individual Humanitarian Aid Volunteering
⏱️ Total duration of this and any previous EU volunteering must not exceed 12 months
🔎 New to ESC Humanitarian Aid Volunteering? Everything about how the programme works is right here: https://youthworkshub.org/15101/
🌍 Eligible Countries
🇦🇹 Austria 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇨🇾 Cyprus 🇨🇿 Czechia 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇪🇪 Estonia 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇬🇷 Greece 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇮🇹 Italy 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇲🇹 Malta 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 🇵🇱 Poland 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇷🇴 Romania 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇪🇸 Spain 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇷 Türkiye
📅 Activity Dates
🗓️ 1 May 2026 — 30 September 2026 (26 weeks total)
📍 Alvorada, Porto Alegre, Brazil
✋Important Notice
Youth Works Hub does not represent or act on behalf of any organization listed on this platform. All project details are sourced directly from official ESC and Erasmus+ databases. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official project page or contact the hosting organization directly. Youth Works Hub is not responsible for any changes made to project details after publication.
