St Paul’s pupils volunteering with the Multiplicar Programme

As part of the ‘’ Multiplicar Programme , we aim to bring together the British Foundation’s partner organisations and the public long-term care homes for the elderly (ILPI) that we support. In this way, we can go beyond financial assistance and provide more meaningful experiences for our partners and the residents of these homes.

The Multiplicar Programme

We at FBB have developed a programme called Multiplicar, which is particularly close to our hearts. Through this programme, we have been supporting public ILPIs since 2009, 

channelling financial, human and material resources to these organisations, which provide support and assistance to elderly people in situations of extreme vulnerability.

These organisations are selected through a rigorous vetting process, ensuring their reliability and accountability.

We also carry out regular monitoring to ensure that the donated funds are channelled and used correctly, as well as to reassess the needs of the beneficiary ILPIs.

Thanks to the Multiplicar Programme, we have already been able to help more than 250 elderly people, whilst also improving the situation of the reputable organisations that support them. We are currently seeking further funding to expand the ‘’ Programme, both by increasing the support provided to the current beneficiary, Casa Madre Teodora dos Idosos, and by selecting new ILPIs to receive this support.

The Casa Madre Teodora Care Home for the Elderly

Founded in 1990 by Sister Natalina and a group of highly committed volunteers, the

Casa Madre Teodora Care Home for the Elderly

 It began very simply, but also with great faith, dedication and love for the cause, and has managed to grow over the years thanks to the support of the community and the perseverance of its leaders.

Today it has a unisex residential facility, which welcomes everyone without any form of prejudice, in accordance with the regulations established by the Municipality of São Paulo for the operation of public ILPIs. Its staff

They work hard, with carers on hand 24 hours a day, and provide affection, attention and all the care required by the elderly.

A Casa v

charity, and the support of others who sympathise with and show solidarity towards such a wonderful cause. There are those who have been involved since the very beginning and still take part today, such as 93-year-old Dona Vitalina, who volunteers in the kitchen twice a week.

Over time, more volunteers have come forward – kind-hearted and generous benefactors who set aside some of their time and money to give to those most in need. However, unfortunately, just as they appear, they also disappear. That is why the support we at the British Foundation provide is so important, and we do our utmost to raise awareness of the cause so that more people recognise this need and decide to support such a noble cause.

Volunteering with the Multiplicar Programme

Volunteering is very important for all third sector organisations. Through people who are willing to dedicate some of their time to the causes they identify with most, we can increase the impact of our work without costs also rising.

Another form of volunteering is corporate volunteering, in which companies engage their staff with the aim of making a positive impact on society. As well as helping the organisations that benefit from this initiative, corporate volunteering also fosters team spirit amongst staff and unites the company around a new goal. In this way, everyone benefits.

Partnership with St Paul’s

The St Paul’s School is a long-established institution in São Paulo and was the first South American school to be recognised by the UK government as a British School Abroad. The school, which has been in existence for 91 years, has a mission to “promote excellence by offering a high-quality, holistic Brazilian and British education for the academic and personal development of pupils, within a supportive community that shares a common set of core values”.

With a bicultural and bilingual Anglo-Brazilian background, they embrace both cultures and languages. Drawing on their values and traditions, they seek to innovate, always striving to improve their pupils’ experiences.

Founded by the British Community in Brazil, which is part of the same As a result, we at the British Charitable Foundation are delighted that St Paul’s is now one of our main supporters. One of the ways in which this support is provided is through our inclusion as a beneficiary of the Enrichment programme offered to all year groups. As part of this programme, pupils can choose from a range of activities such as sports, arts and community service to complement their education. Some of these pupils have chosen to volunteer with the FBB to support the cause of the elderly throughout the academic year.

The activities they carry out with us include collecting donations at school, recording interviews with some of our elderly residents, and producing videos and texts about the Foundation and the cause of the elderly, as well as Visit to the ILPIs supported by the Multiplicar Programme.

St Paul’s’ visit to Madre Teodora

Thinking With a view to bringing people together and promoting intergenerational integration, we have linked St Paul’s School with the Casa Madre Teodora care home for the elderly through a volunteering programme, in which around 15 alu primary school pupils took part  a morning visit to spend time with the elderly p ela

the second time this school year

.

It was a sunny Wednesday and, outside the house, in the garden Green with a long table; you could see the joy in the elderly people’s eyes and the infectious positive energy of the

students.

To begin with, they interacted with the elderly during a game of bingo. As well as organising the game and calling out the numbers loud and clear, they also helped them with the bingo cards, chatting and laughing, and taking turns so that they could get to know each other a little better.

After the games, some of the pupils went up to the second floor of the home, to the living room and TV room, where they chatted and painted the nails of some of the elderly residents. Later in the morning, there was also a special moment when one of the pupils, sitting in a circle near the garden, played the guitar and sang for those gathered there.

Kindness and love for one’s neighbour

The British Charitable Foundation works tirelessly to improve the lives of older people. Through a range of projects and programmes, we strive – with everyone’s help – to reach an ever-growing number of people, whether they are those we support or supporters of our cause.

Thanks to the voluntary work of the pupils at St Paul’s, we were able to offer the girls some wonderful hours of generosity and kindness. This allowed them to experience a world quite different from their everyday lives, enriching their perspectives and values, in line with the school’s own mission.

At the same time, we enabled the elderly to enjoy a moment of affection and attention, which makes a huge difference to their lives. It also offers an unusual experience within their daily routines, allowing them to interact and exchange views with different generations.

It is programmes like this, which are so essential, that make a huge difference to people’s lives. Here, the importance of voluntary work is understood and the virtue of loving one’s neighbour is the driving principle. The Multiplicar Programme thus achieves its objective, bringing numerous benefits to others .

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* Text written by our volunteer Tuany, who attended he took the opportunity to photograph her and also to chat with the elderly residents.