CEMINA (Com., Edu. and Info. and Adaptation)

CEMINA ( Communication, Education, Information and Adaptation) is a not- for- profit organization founded in 1990 to empower women and communities through the use of the radio. Over the years CEMINA has created 400 women's radio programs and has been awarded with various prizes. The radio model, created by CEMINA, is considered a social technology and has been disseminated not only in Brazil but in other countries as well. Since 2007, CEMINA has shifted its focus from radio to the capacity building for social start ups and education for adaptation to climate change. One of its main projects is Adapta Sertao ( www.adaptasertao.net) which aim is to develop a social technology that benefits the population of small underserved towns in the semi-arid region of Brazil. The project consists in articulating a group of social technologies that use scare resources such as water and arable land to guarantee the livelihoods of the local communities especially small farmers. The project has received very prestigious awards such as the 2008 SEED Award. It has also been recognized as a best practice by UN Habitat. CEMINA also supports a children- youth program at Favela Julio Otoni. The program offers a series of benefits for children with ages between 6 and 14 years old. The idea is to offer these children the new possibilities of seeing and actualizing the world. The program is done with volunteers.