It’s been over a month since I landed back in NY and before sharing the output of my time in Recife I asked Rafaela, a student from Aê! to guest blog and share her thoughts on the TIE placement; over to her:
I still can’t believe it has been over a month. Sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday that we were having our first meeting and getting to know each other. And I’m not going to lie, these past months have been hectic and somewhat stressful. But they were also fun and full of new experiences.
We got to know Espaço da Criança and the amazing work they do with the kids and their families. And here’s the thing: when you look at these children having fun with big smiles on their faces, you simply cannot imagine what background they come from. EdC plays such an important role in their lives, and I’m happy we get to be a part of it with them.
As we started working on the campaign, we got to see and do a lot of things we had never done before. After all, this is the first big project for most (maybe all) of us from Aê!. And the fact that we are using communications for a good cause only makes it even more special to us.
Of course there were a few challenges, but I learned so much in these past months and had the chance to meet so many great people. I believe I grew a lot – not only professionally but personally as well. I got to work with people who are very different from me, and it was nice to have such different minds and opinions working together to reach the same goal. Plus, it was amazing to have someone like Melissa sharing her knowledge and point of view with us.
And you see, Melissa is not from Recife. She had never been here before. I (and most of us from the agency), on the other hand, have lived in this city my entire life. Still, as she got to know the city and especially the conditions the children from the NGO live in, so did I. I got closer to a reality that I am aware of and hear about on a daily basis, but (as cliché as it may sound) actually know so little and have almost no direct contact with.
Also, some little film interviews were done with the children from EdC. When asked about what made her happy there, one little girl answered: “When you guys come”. Maybe we haven’t realized yet, but we already making a difference in these kids’ lives.
Now the campaign has launched. It feels more real now that we can see our work and the materials all printed and ready. And to think of the results and all the good things that will (hopefully!) come out of it makes us feel good, knowing that it will bring changes for better to everyone.
I know our work is not done yet. There are still a few things that we need to sort out and get ready for. And hopefully we’ll have a fantastic campaign with some really great results that will bring a lot of smiles not only to the children and families who attend EdC, but to everyone involved.
So, I want to finish this post by saying that I am incredibly grateful for everything. It sure was a rewarding experience, and also one of the best learning opportunities I’ve ever had. I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who’s been a part of it and helped make this possible.
Everything was (and still is!) incredible.
…And a sneak peak of the campaign.
Left to right: Ray, Rafaela, Natalia, Victor, Rafael, Kaia.
TIE + Espaço da Criança 