Capoeira and Social Work in Salvador, Brazil

A fine Dutch lady, Ella Arps, came up with a great idea to help the poor people of the worst favelas in Salvador de Bahia.  She wanted to send the Italian photographer Robert Rizzo into the slums, but soon learned that an unaccompanied foreigner cannot just wander around in such places.  Then she discovered Mestre Pedro, and was able to use his community to take the photos.  Rizzo trained children to take photos of their daily reality.  The best photos were shown at Ella's art gallery in Amsterdam, and the profits were used to directly help the desperately poor people of the "alagados."  She bought beautiful sewing machines, and distributed them to young women, who were suddenly able to support their families by sewing.  Her work was made possible thanks to the help of the Institute of Culture Brazil Italy Europe (ICBIE) and Mestre Pedro, the legendary capoeira master. http://www.thinkcapoeira.org/