Why hire interns from the shantytown?
The shantytown interns are multipliers of citizenry. They can take information to their neighbors themselves. The interns help explain the residents their rights. A simple piece of information changes a person’s life. For example I met a man from the Vila São José, in Belo Horizonte, who had a problem with his eyesight and had no access to medical treatment at the health center. I was told he would only be able to solve the issue through a private doctor. I explained what a defense system was and gave him the address. According to a leader of the community, he went to the Defense System center and was satisfied with the service. If we weren’t there, in the Vila São José, he would have been at risk of losing his eyesight. This is the magic of the House of Citizenship. You have mentioned Vila São José’s example. Do you envision the House of Citizenship expanding to other communities? It would be a dream come true. The Public defense system is currently not able to expand due to its tight
