Alexandra Flynn
Humanities Period 1-8
17/Oct./2012
Mayra’s Story
About 25 percent of the poorest children do not attend school(pubmed.com). In Rio, many children in the favelas (of Rio de Janeiro) do not go to school, and thousands of homeless children lack any opportunity to better their lives(Brazilian Streer Children). Mayra, 15 year old girl who lived in Rio de Janeiro, was lucky enough to get an education until her school was closed down due to safety reasons. She grew up in one of the most violent favelas in Rio de Janeiro, and it was not possible for herself and the rest of the children in her favela to attend school. This is why Mayra decided to take a stand and defend her rights by marching against violence along with her friends and family. Because the conditions were so bad in Rio de Janeiro, Mayra gained the will power to fight against the violence and strive to help everyone stand up for their rights.Because Mayra knows how important education is for her and others, she chose to defend her right to education. ‘When Mayra was only 11 years old her favela was closed off by so many checkpoints that schools and clinics had to be closed because doctors and teachers could not reach them.’ (kidsrights.org.) At such a young age, it is crucial to have education as this is when one is learning how to live and make the right choices. Obviously because Mayra was not able to go to school safely, she did not want the rest of her favela to have the same disadvantage. With Mayra being so young, it took a lot of courage to stand up to the police and the government, nevertheless, not once did she back down. Mayra stoof up to the government by marching against violence along with her friends and family by her side in 2008. ‘This took great courage, as the march passed by many of these armed police patrols.’# When it was no longer safe to attend school, she immediately took charge.
Even at such a young age, one can tell that Mayra truly cares about the citizens of Rio de Janeiro by taking a stand. By the way her actions have affected the rest of her favela, it shows that she was not afraid to defend her right to education. ‘When Mayra was 15 years old, she mobilized hundreds of youths to participate in a community march against violence.’(http://www.kidsrights.org) This shows that Mayra truly cares about education and the rest of her favela, as it would have been hard to stand up to adults or people who may feel they are superior to her because of her age. Mayra knows because of her courage and bravery, it has given children and the rest of Rio de Janeiro hope for the future. She took the time to fight for her right to education. As a result, the police soon agreed to make things safer, rather than patrolling the school with guns in their hands.
Mayra continues to stand up for children’s educational rights, as she knows what it is like to live in brutal and violent conditions. By protesting against the government, Mayra has not only given the children but also the rest of Rio de Janeiro hope for a better future. In 2007, 4 million children of school age are not in school(Mayra’s Story). In some states in Rio de Janeiro, almost 80% of children do not attend school(Kidsrights.com). This is why it was crucial for someone like Mayra to come and defend the people of Rio de Janeiro.
- http://www.kidsrights.org/InternationalChildrensPeacePrize/Winners.aspx
- http://www.abctrust.org.uk/useful_docs/Jubilee_Action_EN.pdf
