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Gabriel “In Solidarity”
Gabriel Pensador Brazilian Rap singer presents a good example of helping impoverished youth and adolescents in Rocinha.
In his comings and goings in São Conrado, the neighborhood where Gabriel O Pensador lives he has come to know some of the youth that frequent the traffic lights near Rocinha. In conversations with these youth he discovered that many of them are not attending school. Three months ago the rapper founded “Pensando Alto” (Thinking Big) ‐ a program that is helping 20 impoverished children and adolescents of Rocinha.
"I began to worry because these were boys I liked a lot and they had no prospects for their lives." The singer said that he had previously worked sporadically with some social programs.
Today, O Pensador is associated with the NGO Dreams Can Be; to put his ideas into practice. The children who are enrolled in the project are already participating in cultural activities and receiving a monthly “cesta básica” (food package) - through the sponsorship of a network of supermarkets, and and are being registered for school for the next school year.
"This is different than going to a nursery school and making a donation because I can follow the results" Gabriel also adds that in early 2004 the children will begin lessons in computer science, Portuguese and mathematics.
As in his lyrics which demonstrate his concerns for social matters:
"There are people that do not care on any occasion, and it is better to help at Christmas than to never help. But this spirit needs to be present year round, even if it is just to donate clothes and used toys." | 
