TROPA aims to reduce structural racism through art, education and basic human needs (physical and intellectual).
“ Those who are hungry are in a hurry! " ― Herbert de Souza...o betinho
We are excited to announce!
TROPA TOUR
March 16-26, 2025
“leave the place better than you found it"
Tropa is partnering with Raizes, a movement for regenerative projects, to offer the first experience of TROPA TOUR from March 16-26, 2025.
We invite you to embark on a unique and transformative journey in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, where tourism can be reimagined as a rich experience of learning, connection, and regeneration.
What Will You Experience during TROPA TOUR?
- Workshops focused on Ancestral gardening where you will participate in AfroBrazilian rituals with Quilombo Sao Jose community;
- Hands on helping set up at the Urban revitalization project - Pather Alley Festival;
- Social impact activities;
- Visiting local Samba Schools and participating in Samba dance classes
- English Language exchange with the local children who are students at the Tropa Education School
This project has been designed to transform tourism into a regenerative force. Our aim is to create a positive impact and bond for both visitors and for the local community, while promoting practices that help preserve our environment and bring positive impact to our planet.
Join us on this journey of discovery and transformation, and experience Rio de Janeiro in a new and revitalizing way!
Regenerative Tourism
Regenerative Tourism (RT) is an alternative to conventional tourism, focusing on the leadership of local actors to promote environmental and cultural regeneration, as well as socioeconomic development. The main objective is to “leave the place better than you found it,” benefiting both visitors and the community.
RT values traditional knowledge and prioritizes a transformative vision, respecting the cultural connection with the territory. Based on ecosystemic, circular, and non-extractive approaches, it protects traditional practices and encourages collaboration between the public and private sectors, volunteers, communities, and tourists, aiming to reduce economic dependency on a single sector.
Using collective intelligence, RT promotes horizontal decision-making and project co-creation, respecting the pace and needs of local communities. It empowers communities to become agents of positive change, strengthening a network of conscious and regenerative tourism.
By transforming the relationship between visitors and locals, RT not only revitalizes territories but also inspires a fairer, more sustainable tourism model aligned with the planet's future.
Beco do Pantera is now recognized by the City of Rio de Janeiro as a Cultural Corridor of the City!
Words of Actress Adriana Birolli, Ambassador of the Solidarity Troop
"We need this socio-urban transformation all the time, because we have old cities, cities that can't take care of their own maintenance. Artistic intervention in these central places is very important. Foremost to improve the quality of life of those who are there. When we arrive at a place that is beautiful, that is organized, that is painted and has an artistic feeling, we can already see that the population is much more engaged to keep the place organized, clean,. This improves the quality of life of those who live in the region; not only those who live in the buildings, in the houses, but also those who live on the streets. Secondly, it brings another focus for tourism to give more visibility and entrepreneurship to the place.
This project will generates opportunities for people who live in the region, who will be able to bring their products and improve their income. I'm very happy about the possibilities this project brings!"
Tropa Education is our initiative to help, support, guide and empower children and young people from the poor areas of Rio de Janeiro against poverty, institutional racism and everyday violence experienced in Brazil.
We recognize the youth are the future of this country and we need to do something immediately. Marginalized youth get lost on the streets where they are hustled into drugs and crime losing any perspective of a better life.
TROPA is acting now to bridge a future for them through education.
“For me, our first English class was an amazing day. Since the first week of the Covid lock down our primary objective was to bring food to homeless people and residents of the surrounding slums. People were totally helpless in the arms of vulnerability. We ran campaigns, created partnerships, joined forces with public authorities, private companies and social movements with the aim of bringing food to these people's tables and, in addition to food, we brought hugs, listening and offering human warmth. We began to build bridges between donor and receiver.
Next we set up and held events such as Resenha da Tropa, two days of free festivities for the neighborhood. But then, the pandemic crisis was decreasing and along with it the donations. Food became increasingly expensive and farther from the table of low-income people. I already had in mind that the best way to emancipate someone was through education.
Education holds the key to all doors, but even so, there were still several fronts for TROPA to resolve. These last few years have been challenging and even so things are beginning to move forward! I continued on my path of growth and world understanding. After finally having the opportunity to travel abroad to Canada with my incredible wife and partner Lianna Walden, I had no doubt of the necessity to empower the ghetto and the outskirts with knowledge.
I had always dreamed of seeing a room full of children learning. For this I have worked day and night and today we had the incredible gift of welcoming the children in. Children I saw born in the ghettos came to their first English class, with teachers my wife Lianna and our American partner William Pustai. For me it was like stepping into a new phase and raising the level. This action made all the struggle and effort feel worthwhile. It was the beginning of a new moment for TROPA, a new moment for me and a new moment for the neighborhood of Lapa in the centre of Rio de Janeiro.
We have now taken the children at TROPA EDUCATION through 2 Levels of English classes. The same group is still with us, working hard to learn and become the future the want to experience.
Director of TROPA - Fernando Shackal
Children completing English Level 1 - Tropa Education
Children completing English Level 2 - Tropa Education
Since the beginning of the Covid 19, we have brought food to the tables of needy families in Rio de Janeiro.
We offer people food at 2 levels:
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We buy pesticide-free food from small farmers in the state of Rio de Janeiro. We gather volunteers at our headquarters, prepare lunches, Tropa Lunches, and then together we deliver to people on the streets in need.
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We have set up solidarity campaigns with companies wanting to donate food and from donations we receive from people all over the world. We transform the food donations and donations into basic food packages and then we deliver them to local residents who need them the most.
Join Us at TROPA!
August 2020 - Fundraising online event with Brazilian singer- Filipe Ret
August 2020 - Cooking lunches from kitchen at Kariok Kichen on Benjamin Constant, Rio de Janeiro with social movement from Nitiroi - Bem Viver
August 2020- September 2021 - Serving weekly lunches out of Casa DeLuiza in Lapa to people on the streets in Lapa, Rio de Janeiro
December 2020 - TROPA is given a space on Becos dos Carmelitas, Lapa to create a headquarters (HQ)
January 2021 - TROPA space is designed by a group of young architects
January 2021 - TROPA campaign launched to renovate the HQ
February 2021 - LIVE fundraising online show - Bialle do Shackal - with Brazilan singer Bnagao
February 2021 - Brazilian Actress Dora de Assis comes on as ambassador to assist TROPA in fundraising
April 2021 - RJ TV in Rio de Janeiro does a piece about TROPA
September 2021 - Flamengo Basketball team comes to cook and distribute with TROPA
October 2021 - TROPA da Solidariedade officially becomes an NGO (legal non-governmental organization)
September 2021 - 1st Fundraiser for TROPA in Put-in-Bay, Ohio with William Pustai November 2021- Renovation of HQ begins
January - December 2022 - Monthly actions handing out Basic Assist Packages to people requiring assistance
February 2022 - Teaming with Hotel Selinas in Lapa for donation action
May 2022 - Resenha Da Tropa - at Selina Lapa Rooftop
May 2022 - Brazilian Actress Adriana Birolli becomes an ambassador of TROPA June 2022 - Resenha da Tropa at TROPA HQ
June 2022 - RJ TV does a piece about Resenha da TROPA
August 2022 - TROPA arrives in Vancouver to talk to Vancouver Mural Festival
September 2022 - 2nd Fundraiser for TROPA in Put-in-Bay ,Ohio with William Pustai
November 2022 - 2nd Resenha da TROPA at Hotel Selina Rooftop
December 2022 - Christmas basic assist package hand-outs
January 2023 - Fist English class for children launched at TROPA HQ - Beco Do Pantera - Murals painted on Beco dos Carmelitas by 5 different graffitti artists
January 2023 - Evening meeting begins for people on alcohol and drug rehabilitation
February 2023- GLOBO TV does a news piece about TROPA
Donate now and join TROPA!
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