our Guides...
All favelatour.org and FAVELA ADVENTURES Guides are residents who were born and raised here in Rocinha and still reside in the favela. Our main purpose is provide visitors with an educational but fun experience while in our community. There is so much to do in Rocinha and it is our goal to show you as much about our culture here in the favela. Please feel free to ask us any questions about our community.
By visiting Rocinha you open up cross cultural exchange and help to break down misconceptions and or myths about favela communities. This aids in a better understanding the class system that exists not only in Rio de Janeiro but in Brazil.
Please read the Testimonial Page to learn what others have experienced in Rocinha with Zezinho and other guides on their tours!
We welcome you to our community and thank you for choosing the only tour company that is 100% OWNED AND OPERATED BY FAVELA RESIDENTS.
By visiting Rocinha you open up cross cultural exchange and help to break down misconceptions and or myths about favela communities. This aids in a better understanding the class system that exists not only in Rio de Janeiro but in Brazil.
Please read the Testimonial Page to learn what others have experienced in Rocinha with Zezinho and other guides on their tours!
We welcome you to our community and thank you for choosing the only tour company that is 100% OWNED AND OPERATED BY FAVELA RESIDENTS.
zezinho...
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Zezinho is proud to say that he is both American and Brazilian who carries both passports. Part of the decision to live outside of Brazil was to make enough money to take care of his families' medical needs. He moved back and forth from California and Brazil looking after his family members. After his father’s passing in July of 2008, Zezinho decided that he wanted to move back to Rocinha to help the community and be closer to relatives still living in the favela. Since 2004, Zezinho has raised money for different non profits in Rocinha. He has started his own tour company (FAVELA ADVENTURES) which also offers cultural exchange programs. The purpose of his work is to employ people from the favela and expose favela culture to the outside world. Zezinho currently now resides full time in Rocinha. His current project is SPIN ROCINHA DJ School that is currently in operation. Every Monday through Saturday night from 7:00-9:30pm are the classes for about 18 students. Since the opening of Spin Rocinha, over 60 students have graduated from the program.
All the DJ classes are FREE for any resident of the favela. For information about the DJ School SPIN ROCINHA go to: Check our page on Facebook under “Spin Rocinha”. Or you can see more information here: http://spinrocinha.jimdo.com
He and his friend and business partner, Yvonne Pearson, from Canada, are the founders of favelatour.org and FAVELA ADVENTURES. He began officially giving tours 7 years ago but music and Dj’ing kept him busy and took most of his time. After returning to Rocinha in 2008, he wanted to give back something to the community. He began giving tours again and many people told him that he needed to focus on this as there was so much positive response to his unique tours. After much thought, Zezinho wanted to do this, but only if it could include other residents. The goal of Zezinho’s visits is the education and personal interaction between visitor and residents of the community. Favela Adventures now employs up to 8 local guides from the community depending on the season and the other guides schedules. Many of the other guides have other employment.
Zezinho’s other interests are Dj’ing, Music, Graffiti, Art, Skating, Jiu Jitsu, his 3 cats and helping others achieve their goals. Zezinho’s goal is to to give people an authentic favela experience .
by walking through the community and at comfortable pace.
Zezinho can be reached at [email protected].
All the DJ classes are FREE for any resident of the favela. For information about the DJ School SPIN ROCINHA go to: Check our page on Facebook under “Spin Rocinha”. Or you can see more information here: http://spinrocinha.jimdo.com
He and his friend and business partner, Yvonne Pearson, from Canada, are the founders of favelatour.org and FAVELA ADVENTURES. He began officially giving tours 7 years ago but music and Dj’ing kept him busy and took most of his time. After returning to Rocinha in 2008, he wanted to give back something to the community. He began giving tours again and many people told him that he needed to focus on this as there was so much positive response to his unique tours. After much thought, Zezinho wanted to do this, but only if it could include other residents. The goal of Zezinho’s visits is the education and personal interaction between visitor and residents of the community. Favela Adventures now employs up to 8 local guides from the community depending on the season and the other guides schedules. Many of the other guides have other employment.
Zezinho’s other interests are Dj’ing, Music, Graffiti, Art, Skating, Jiu Jitsu, his 3 cats and helping others achieve their goals. Zezinho’s goal is to to give people an authentic favela experience .
by walking through the community and at comfortable pace.
Zezinho can be reached at [email protected].
People who know me, know that, I really love Rocinha and enjoy showing people the positive side of what the favela has to offer. It is easy to see poverty or poorly built houses, but what I love about Rocinha is the spirit of the people
Malu
Malu has been working with us for just over 3 months. She is 36 years old and has been working as a guide in Rocinha for about 2 years. Her English is very good and she was born and raised in Rocinha. Her hobbies are working out, learning about new cultures, making new friends and of course spending time with her family. She is married and has an 11 year old son.
gilvan ivanson
Gilvan was born and raised in Rocinha and has been working in Rocinha for about 1 year. I just met him today (October 19) so we will see how things work and get to know him better.
JOSE BERNARDO
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"I was born and still live in Rocinha, this amazing city inside the Rio city ( I used to say that because it's another world this community), where I was raised and learned everything, where I made friends, where I learned how to became a citizen, I learned to respect the next, had to achieve awareness that if you wanna something you should fight for it, in fact, a world where it was created for the world. I'm a geography teacher, who loves to work with people as well, and I'm beginning this journey as tour guide. I am very interested in exchanging experiences and show the world my home that is Rocinha."
"I used to play volleyball, including travelling to play, but when I turned 18, I decided to focus on university. I love pop music, cinema, museums, travelling, I've been in some really good countries. Maybe I will travel more but for now I want to show people that Rocinha can be a nice place to live. " - Jose Bernardo
"I used to play volleyball, including travelling to play, but when I turned 18, I decided to focus on university. I love pop music, cinema, museums, travelling, I've been in some really good countries. Maybe I will travel more but for now I want to show people that Rocinha can be a nice place to live. " - Jose Bernardo
