Gabriela Prioli sponsors NGO: ‘Created solar energy cooperative in the favela’

Presenter and political commentator Gabriela Prioli is the godmother of the NGO Revolusolar in the popular category of the Social Entrepreneur Award 2024. Led by Eduardo Ávila, the initiative is among the six finalists of the 20th edition of the competition promoted by Sheet and Schwab Foundation, which recognizes leaders in social innovation in the country.

“Did you know that 4 in 10 Brazilians spend more than half of their income on electricity and gas bills? And, to make matters worse, many people don’t even have access to something as basic as electricity. In the Amazon alone, one million people live in this situation”, says Prioli.

“The NGO Revolusolar built, with partners and community leaders, in 2021, the first solar energy cooperative in a Brazilian favela, in Rio de Janeiro. And then replicated the model in ten other favelas across the country and installed a solar plant with batteries in a indigenous community in the Amazon. Residents saw their electricity bills reduce by 40%”, he adds.

The NGO has already benefited almost 2,800 people with reduced energy costs and increased income through technical training.

The presenter released a video on Instagram in partnership with the newspaper’s profiles, asking for donations to the NGO through the MobilizAção platform, at Folha.com/plataformamobilizacao2024, where it is possible to learn about and support the work of this and other organizations.

• See the Social Entrepreneur 2024 finalists

The initiative that mobilizes the largest number of donors and the one that raises the most resources between October 11th and November 8th will be awarded on November 12th in a ceremony at the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, when the nominees by the jury will also be announced.

For every R$1 donated, Ambev will donate another R$1, up to a limit of R$30,000, and will offer another R$30,000 distributed among the finalists who get the most donors. The proposal is to encourage the culture of donation in the country.

“Everything is done in partnership with leaders and residents. It is necessary to have clear collective action so that the benefits of the energy transition reach those who need it most”, says Eduardo Ávila, executive director of Revolusolar.

Among the other finalists are Belterra Agroflorestas (startup that restores degraded lands with agroforestry systems), Trampay (fintech that offers digital accounts for delivery people) and Letrus (startup developed a school writing program based on artificial intelligence).

Also receiving donations are Ficam Sabendo (NGO that promotes public transparency) and Super Nina (startup that combats sexual harassment in urban transport).