The Federal District of Brasilia has suffered recurrent environmental damages, such as the water crisis in periods of prolonged drought and the flooding of central regions in rainy seasons, aggravated by irregular and/or improper urban zoning. There is also the recent issue of the Estrutural landfill in Brasília, closed in 2018, which was the largest in Latin America, from the need to comply with guidelines of the National Waste Policy (Law No. 12.305/2010).

There is a need to act to transform the current scenario of the city. Thus, the implementation of actions towards the environmental awareness of youth and training of people involved in solid waste management comes as a way to transform the capital of the country in the local, regional reality and serve as a model for national policies and effectiveness of smart and sustainable cities.

The Global Shapers Brasilia Hub launched the project Atuaçao Socioambiental with the objective of engaging the youth of Brasília regarding the environmental issue, develop interest in the theme and practical skills.

The first stage of the project intends to carry out in a first approach, environmental education activities for students from public schools in Administrative Regions of Brasilia, focused on the reality of young people and on the local context, in order to address issues such as the water crisis, the irregular zoning of the soil and the proper separation of waste. 

In a second stage, we intend to create community vegetable gardens in schools, with composting areas and bioconstruction of a cistern for water collection, following the example of the Asa Norte High School, at 607 Asa Norte.

In the 2nd stage, we also intend to train people involved in the selective collection work, according to their needs (e.g. entrepreneurship courses, financial management), in order to make the processes more efficient and allow diversification and greater access to income. Thus, we have the direction to attend such professionals involved with the local scenario, already in transformation process. 

This way, we look for ways to expand the possibilities of access to income of the heads of household, already involved in the "rubbish scene" in DF. By sharing acting tools and ways to emerge, the community generates more transforming agents, with impact to the expansion of transformations of socio-environmental nature and of similar nature.

Expected outcomes 

Project in two phases, the first lasting six months and the second lasting three months;

• Environmental awareness of the students;


• Improved nutrition of students and school workers with locally grown organic products;


• More aware and empowered citizens;


• Impact on communities in the Federal District, through increased income for families and people working with selective collection in the DF.