Engaged Beyond Business
Amigos do Bem
The fight against poverty in Brazil
More than a million people in the Brazilian backlands, or "sertão," live with chronic drought, a lack of infrastructure, and no access to education or healthcare. Amigos do Bem is a social project that has proven that poverty has a solution. It works to transform lives and eradicate hunger and misery by providing full support to these communities and promoting self-sustaining development.
The project
Amigos do Bem works in a forgotten part of Brazil, where millions of people are born, suffer, and die with no prospects for the future. The sertão region's poor income distribution and neglect are exacerbated by a chronic drought, which makes farming impossible.
To combat this reality, Amigos do Bem created a Sustainable Social Development model that transforms lives through education, income generation, and a variety of projects that promote local development and social inclusion. Their mission is to eradicate hunger and poverty, proving that with the right opportunities, poverty has a solution.
A forgotten Brazil
The sertão is a semi-arid zone with a desert-like climate where a person’s Human Development Index (HDI) can be lower than in some sub-Saharan African countries. The region faces a severe lack of work opportunities and a scarcity of water. This population is described as "the invisible ones," with many living in rudimentary mud houses without bathrooms or running water. The work of Amigos do Bem reaches 300 villages in three states, serving communities up to seven hours from the nearest city.
Pillars of Transformation
Amigos do Bem has created a self-sustainable social development model that generates income, lifts families out of misery, and strengthens local economies. The organization’s efforts are based on five key pillars:
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They operate four health centers and eight medical and dental offices, providing 210,000 health appointments annually with the help of 300 volunteer health professionals.
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Amigos do Bem has built 551 houses and 123 cisterns, drilled 78 wells, and supplies 1.4 billion liters of water per year.
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The organization has 15 production units that create over 1,600 jobs, benefiting 8,220 people with a monthly income.
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They operate four Transformation Centers and four schools, serving 10,000 children and young people and providing 2.8 million school meals annually.
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They distribute over 5,400 tons of food annually, assisting 150,000 people who no longer live in conditions of extreme poverty.
Challenges
The organization’s current challenge is the construction of a new Transformation Center in Buíque, Pernambuco, which will open its doors to 2,000 students from 20 villages. The new structure, planned for 2026, will have 50 classrooms and a total area of 18,500 square meters. This project aims to bring education and opportunity to new communities and is a testament to the organization's ongoing commitment to development.
How to transfer donations?
Individual or collective amounts can be transferred to the cost center at the cashier’s office in Schaan as follows…:
Cost Center
BKR
Reference
518306 - EBB Fundraising
1051 HAG
EBB - 1022978 - P # 01.27 Amigos do Bem BRAZIL
Or by bank transfer to the following bank account. The donated amount will be converted to CHF:
Bank
SWIFT / BIC
Bank Code
Beneficiary
IBAN
Reference
UBS Switzerland AG, CH-8004 Zürich
CRESCHZZ80A
4835
Hilti AG, Feldkircherstrasse 100, FL-9494 Schaan
CH47 0483 5031 2631 4100 1
EBB - 1022978 - P # 01.27 Amigos do Bem BRAZIL
History, Origions and Philosophy
Amigos do Bem was founded in 1993 by Alcione Albanesi and a small group of friends. Today, it is one of Brazil's largest social projects. The organization is guided by its motto: "If I can't do everything I should, I must at least do everything I can." They believe that every human being is capable of development and that the only way to break the cycle of poverty is through human intervention.
This philosophy has led to a major impact, with Amigos do Bem being recognized as the "Best NGO in Brazil during the Pandemic". The institution is audited by EY since 2016 and aligns with 12 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. For every dollar received in donations, they generate a $6.45 impact in the backlands.
Do you have any questions? You can reach us by e-mail:
