In Brazil, an adequate primary education is out of reach for most working-class children. This problem is compounded by rigorous, mandatory college entrance exams. The average child of working-class parents will not be prepared to pass this exam because of poor or non-existent schooling.

To help break this persistent cultural barrier, Casa Brasil has teamed up with local stores to provide merit-based scholarships to qualified students. When you buy a can of Casa Brasil coffee, a portion of your purchase will help fund the education of a deserving child of a Brazilian coffee farmer.

Check your local store or click on the photos below to learn about the outstanding students you’ll be proud to sponsor.

Estela, 16, is the daughter of COOPFAM farmers from the Poço Fundo region of Brazil.

When she fininshes high school, Estela looks forward to attending free state college. While she has yet to select a major, she is very interested in biology, law and environmental studies.

Estela
Sponsor: Casa Brasil and Wheatsville Co-op, Austin, TX

Jose, 12, lives on his family’s organic farm with his parents and brother.

With his scholarship, Jose will have the opportunity to bring greater prosperity to himself and his family.

Jose
Sponsor: Casa Brasil and Whole Foods Austin, TX Stores

Amanda Maria Pereira is the daughter of organic coffee producers, Rosevaldo Jose Pereira and Rosana Silva Pereira. Amanda is in her first year of high school and her dream is to complete a degree in business administration to help her parents and other small coffee producers with the coffee production administration.

Amanda
Co-sponsor: Houston Area Whole Foods Markets

Ana Claudia is the daughter of organic coffee producers Joao Batista and Jorgina de Jesus Pereira. She is 16 years old and her dedication to her studies is immense, walking long distances to catch the rural bus that takes her to school each morning.

Ana Claudia
Sponsor: Dallas Area Whole Foods Markets

Camila is the daughter of organic coffee producers Tiaozinho and Vania Silva. Tiaozinho is from a long line of coffee producers and Vania is an artist whose drawings and paintings can be seen at Spider House.

Camila
Sponsor: Spider House Cafe

Jaqueline is the daughter of coffee producers Joaquim Itamar and Silvana Regina Pereira. Her older sister is a high-school teacher. While not yet certain about a career choice, Jacqueline is leaning towards business or mathematics.

Jacqueline
Sponsor: Tulsa and Little Rock Area Whole Foods Markets

Marcelo is the son of organic coffee producers and plays an active role in the coffee harvesting. He is also an incredible soccer player, having been chosen among hundreds of players from the region to travel to Porto Alegre to train with Internacional.

Marcelo
Sponsor: San Antonio Area Whole Foods Markets

Maria Carolina is the daughter of Marcia de Jesus Pereira and Geraldo Donizetti Goncalves. She is the top student in her class. Her favorite subject is biology and she would like to pursue biology and/or medicine in college.

Maria Carolina
Sponsor: Louisiana Area Whole Foods Markets

Casa Brasil is proud to support after-school programs that provide a fun and dynamic way to raise more than test scores. Our programs bring kids together with instructors, organizers and mentors to help them learn about social and environmental issues, give them access to information, and teach them valuable, marketable skills. Your Casa Brasil coffee purchase helps provide personal fulfillment, civic values and real opportunity to kids whose options are otherwise limited.

Click on the photos below to get a closer look at our after-school programs.

Casa Brasil is proud to team up with Brazilian artist Leandro Fonseca to help provide after-school art classes to talented kids looking for a positive outlet for their creative energy. These students enjoy a rare and well-deserved opportunity to develop their skills into a career. Many of their works are actually sold and displayed, providing additional pride, motivation and a “real-world” context for their efforts.

From coffee and fertilizer prices to production techniques, almost every aspect of running a modern coffee farm is dependent on information technology. With your support our sponsor kids can gain the computer skills that can directly benefit their families and empower their future, whatever they decide to do.

Casa Brasil promotes all aspects of the organic coffee trade because it is a sustainable model that benefits both the land and the dedicated families who farm the coffee.

With your support, we help Brazilian children learn about organic and artisanal farming practices that will be key to their prosperity as the next generation of coffee producers.

Casa Brasil sponsors local initiatves in communities like yours, where people make the difference. Through direct support of progressive charitable organizations as well as partnerships with like-minded entities, we “walk the talk,” bringing people together for awareness, education and just plain fun.

Casa Brasil is proud to sponsor Acadêmicos da Ópera, a samba school in Austin, Texas, celebrating the unique beauty, unequalled pageantry and great music of Brazilian culture.

AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) provides services that enhance the health and well-being of individuals and the community in the face of the evolving AIDS epidemic. Casa Brasil is pleased to sponsor ASA for events such as AIDS Walk Austin and other events throughout the year.

The AIDS Walk benefits ASA and Austin's other outstanding AIDS Service Organizations by funding vital prevention outreach and direct care services for people living with HIV and AIDS in Central Texas.

Click here to join Casa Brasil in supporting this exciting event.