Feed and Educate Children in Salvador, Brazil

Volunteers and staff in Brazil recently took part in a three day challenge to help raise funds to support the project. Read on to hear an account from the challenge by GVI Latin America Project Director Dom Williams:

‘After three days hiking trail, rappelling, canyon scrambling and swimming, swollen river crossings, soaked tents, ants and Pedrock (one of our amazing guides, hewn from the Chapada Diamantina itself - for sure!) our ten challengers reached our goal, Cachoeira (waterfall) Fumaça, the tallest waterfall in Brazil, at 392m.

After a 7 hour bus ride to Lencois, we trekked out early a few hours to reach our first goal, the incredible Cachoeira do Capivari, where we donned harnesses to rapell the 45m waterfall.

From here, we headed on up to the first campsite next to the river, preparing ourselves for day two, when we river canyon hiked, boulder hopped and swam up kms to reach the amazing Cachoeira de Mixila, which has only been open to visitors for 4 years.

More hiking to our second campsite at dusk, where rain swelled the Rio Capivari a metre higher overnight and we had to cross in the early hours to continue our trek towards Fumaça.

The terrain all the way was quite stunning, and the majority of the trail no more than an upward goat track, up and over canyons, to reach our goal.

Fumaça is one of those views that a photo cannot do justice. we trekked around to the top of it at an incredible 392m high, peering over the ledge straight down into the deep valley below. After three days hard trekking and adventure, the goal was worth each one of those 392 metres!

Many thanks to the challengers, the guides and to all of you who have donated to help raise funds for our school in Mata Escura. With funds raised so far our teachers wages are secured, as well as our food program, for a few more months!’