The association Aura was the dream life of a mother and a son. A teacher and a student. A patient and a caregiver. It was a project that aimed to help young people with learning difficulties, cancer patients and those who take care of them. Now it's much, much more. The Aura is Luis, Ana, Manuela, Augustine and Lydia and the many more who want to participate. And the dream was born a selfless work which aims for a better world where everyone can access the same opportunities. All day donate their skills, their time and money to helping others. They create music projects, stage plays and shows take place in order to prove that one can always do better, accomplish more and at the same time encouraging self-esteem in young people. Come donate your time, give a hand, or buy a CD or DVD from the Aura, you'll see ... all is worth when the soul is not small. And theirs is not, I promise! It's the world.
Why the name Aura?
Louis França: The Aura was a teacher of students of alternative curricula and is the name of my mother. I was the first student.
What is the role of the association among young people?
LF: What do we do with the kids of alternative curricula is to chain actions that for the school is impossible to achieve. We organize concerts, encumbrance them on CD and DVD. It is they who create the costumes, sets and music and integrate both sides at the end, the musical and visual. We grabbed everything that the kids are giving us the time and do it differently, maybe the student has difficulty in English and what do we do? We chose the lyrics of a song in that language to submit to a show. He is studying, but he doesn't know. We create in the end products that are sold on the market, are amateurs in the background, but as good as the professionals. The sale reverts to the association to continue the projects.
What has been the feedback from educators of your work?
LF: We have teachers who work with us, with these youngsters of alternative curricula, in the school Gonçalves Zarco, who stayed in the place of my mother, Manuela, Augustine and Lydia, who continue the work begun by her. We input all the rehearsals, the students with their work and ours. What we say is that is the only way to motivate students to do something for hours, doing something they like, because it is different, even the teachers notice the difference. It is distinguished rehearse for something that will be input to a CD, or for a live show, is better than something that at best will be shown in the staff room. The work is double. They put products out here that are worth it.
Strand cancer is another aspect of the association, what do you do in this area?
LF: The Association exists for almost two years; it reaches a point where we got lost in time. Initially, we donate a machine to purify water for the hospital, so that the patients can drink, for food, whatever it takes. Already offer wheelchairs, medications essential for these patients that are not reimbursed. Now, we are stopping for a while why? Because we learn, we want to sell products to make enough money to help family caregivers of these patients and buying the nursing supplies they need.
There is so much lack of material?
LF: There are gaps where was no supposed to be. Then, also lack a lot of stuff at home for patients. People forget that caregivers often give up their work, family, and friends, lost everything to take care of sick person at home. A person who loses his job, that does not have support from the center Employment perhaps they have great need of supplies at home.
The association Aura is dedicated to two areas, aim to expand this coverage?
Ana Soares Freitas: We work in the cultural field by virtue of music and theater. We want to broaden the cultural scope beyond what is done with the kids. Though, I do not lose sight of education. We are working in sport; we have a partnership with the Housing Bureau in that respect. Many kids come from disadvantaged backgrounds, although the curricula are not necessarily linked to particular social class; however they are often of that environment and social housing. We had a social worker who has called us to intervene in the Santa Amaro, and so we were called to perform some actions that were not covered by the objectives of the association. Our activity over time raised the need to adapt what were our original intentions, with what we shall do and that was not originally planned. The actions of a social nature, the cultural part that became greater than what was expected and we even now do sport events.
LF: The idea that the association resulted from a conversation with my mother, we are working in arts, because it was our area and have an institution to help the kids, nothing else. It was the goal of our life. My mother was an oncology patient who allowed her to make a series of procedures, because if she was not served at least will benefit others. The one left behind will create the association. I did it with my friends and her colleagues. At the beginning the association Aura was the face of my mother, students of alternative curricula and cancer patients. At this point, is the image of people who constitute the Aura, we are the Aura. And all the needs that come knocking we adapt and pay for what we do with taste.
All are volunteers?
LF: They are almost all except those who work with us on the CD and DVD and these have all expenses paid, because life has costs. Thus we see with whom we can work, as the next step is to create reintegration companies. Kids need a place to work. We need to grow. We have to have the goods, materials, utensils for daily life. The aim is to grow and create a space where kids can study, work and even promote themselves.This is what we want. The world.
http://a-aura.org/
