05.07.2021

Volunteer parents participate in the “Armário Coletivo” project

By Bruna Cronfli and Matheus Alves

The Armário Coletivo is one of the actions of the BCIA Sustainability Team (Beacon Community in Action), which proposes the circulation of used uniforms to be reused by the students. 

Before becoming a large project, the Armário Coletivo used to be just a small room. Then, volunteer fathers and mothers separated the used uniforms to be donated to families interested in receiving them.

A change in perspective on the possibility of reusing uniforms previously considered “old and inadequate” was gradually established. One of the main factors was that the uniforms were left unused, as students were only taking online classes. In addition, the pandemic brought even more engagement to the project as families had purchased only parts of the uniform, and their children often didn’t even use them.

The BCIA created and shared a worksheet with parents and guardians to fill out according to the pieces of uniform the students needed. In this way, they minimized the circulation inside the Campus and made access to the Armario easier.

About 400 ecobags were prepared with the requested uniforms and delivered accompanied by a letter encouraging the continued use of the Armário Coletivo (donate what is no longer useful, take what you need). From the initial handling of the pieces to the assembly of the bags, the volunteers strictly followed the hygiene protocols, including leaving the clothes in quarantine. The ecobags were also made and sewn from used t-shirts.

New G2 and G3 students, enrolled to join Beacon next semester, will receive the school’s backpack containing a clothing kit and a message on recycled paper about the school’s sustainability values. At the beginning of the second semester, more information about the availability of parts will be released to all students who need it.

As the children grow, parents return the uniforms to the Armário Coletivo and request larger sizes, thus keeping the collection and distribution in movement. 

In the case of sweaters and t-shirts that are unsuitable for student use, the pieces are adjusted and customized for donation to institutions that take care of needy children. Upon receiving the photos from the NGOs, the Sustainability team noticed that the little ones were wearing slippers in damp places. Thus, a new campaign, “Como Aquecer os Pés” was created, which involved the donation of socks and shoes, which will continue with the Armário Coletivo.