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The project Sitio Escola (The Ranch School) is an initiative to recover an abandoned farm and turn it into a living and learning community. The farm is located on the outskirts of Braganca Paulista, a rural city in the state of Sao Paulo. In 4 months we aim to restructure the farm to be able to increase the carbon sink, decrease waste and increase sustainability. This project aims to put “think globally act locally” into action. Decreasing energy and water consumption as well as implementing small scale projects like compost and hydro and solar energy are among the top priorities. Besides redirecting the farm’s output and energy a sustainable living learning project will be carried out in the city, disseminating information about sustainable living, conservation and recycling. We also plan to make a documentary as evidence of what can be done in four months with a little imagination, education, hard work and passion for this beautiful world we inhabit.
In today’s world consumption is continually increasing while resources deplete, this project is an attempt at involving the community, ecologists, scientists and students in making a small scale difference that can be used as an example and serve as proof of what can be achieved. This project also aims at being a pioneer in agrotourism for the area. Sitio Escola is a project that must come to fruition because today’s youth need to know that we can change the direction of global development and we need to develop the tools and heart to make it happen.
The farm is located on a river, has pasture and orchards as well as a main house, pool, lawn, forest and workshop area all things which can be improved and put to better use. Students interested in any ecological or human resource can work and implement their small projects like water pumps for irrigation with renewable energy. The possibilities are endless and with your support you can make this pioneering project come to be.

Contact the Project by email

We need participants to:
• Come for any duration of time during the 4 month run of the project.
• Stay at least 4 days a week on the sitio/ranch
• Have an ecological/tourism/education/sustainable living project you want to carry out.
o These can be for example :
? Alternate energy
? Reforestation
? Recycling
? Composting
? Teaching English
? Insulating pipes to decrease energy for hot water consumption
? Anything that contributes to a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle
o Available resources on the sitio/ranch:
? House: rooms, kitchen, bathroom, community room
? Pool
? Pasture area
? Fruit trees
? River
? Old outdoor shed/work station
? Forested area
• It is helpful to have at least a little bit or Portuguese or Spanish
• Participants need to be between the ages of 18 and 25
• Participants need to have an interest or background in ecology, sustainable development, community development, Latin America etc.
• Participants need to write a 500 word short essay about why they would benefit from this experience and how they would contribute (this should include a brief outline of a project)