Even, after all these time, I still cannot believe how life can be so unpredictable and change from one day to another.
I am originally from São Paulo state.After I retired,I moved to Rio de Janeiro with my husband. He is a singer and Rio offers better career opportunities. At the time, my husband was very busy because he wanted to pursue his career. It was a new city for me, I did not have any friends, I used to spend all my time alone, so it wasnt easy.I was getting depressed and feeling useless.
Then one of my friends from São Paulo got sick. Since,I was going to visit her,I wanted to get a present. I went walking all over Rio looking for an original gift. I came upon an Arts & Crafts fair, where I saw a woman making belts using recycled objects. I fell in love with that belt and I started talking with the woman. I confided to her, about how difficult it was being for me to adjust to Rio etc. She felt compassionate towards me. She decided to teach me to crochet using recycled objects, so that this could become a hobby for me.
In the following day, she came over to my house and I had my first crochet class! I chosed to use soda pops because Brazilian people consume a lot of canned drinks, and in the beaches all over Brazil you can find many soda pops. I started going to the beach and down the streets collecting soda pops.
I love doing this. It fulfills me,as a person and all my problems of loneliness disappeared. I started dedicating all my time to making my products. My creativity was booming so much, that I wanted to make all of them right away!
A few months later, with the help of an international company,I went from selling my products at Copacabana beach to exporting!
Soon, it was my turn to pass forward my knowledge to others. Since, as the demand for my products increased, I was in a better position to help my husband with his career.
Now, i offer employment to a dozen of young girls from the shantytowns,who used to spend their time surrounded by bad companies...
Whether it is taking young girls off the streets,increasing the income of a single working mother or providing an occupation for a sorrowful mother,who lost her only son to the drug trafficking; I am very happy to contribute for other people to get a better life.
I am also very glad that I can help the environment by using recycled items.
It is a good way for me to contribute to keeping Brazil clean and unpolluted.
If you wish to know more details, please feel free to send me a message or visit my brazilian site: www.pretinhaarteslacres.com/site/br/index.phpor www.novica.com.
Participating in an interview with Hebe Camargo.
A couple of articles on Calabasas and Seventeen magazines.Generate your own contact table!
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