Pleased to meet you, we are
Raízes
We are a social business that designs and implements territorial-development and social-transformation projects based on entrepreneurship as a way to empower vulnerable groups and strengthen socio-biodiversity. We work to reduce social inequalities (SDG 10), promote gender equity (SDG 5), and foster fair and dignified work for all (SDG 8).
Our purpose is to generate positive impact
74
projects carried out
228.148
people directly affected
190
mentored, incubated or accelerated businesses
We have become a social business because we understand that companies have a role in creating a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative system. The strength of businesses should and must contribute towards a paradigm shift that respects nature and empowers the best in people. We want to be better for the world!
Specialties
We believe that opportunities change people and people transform places. Therefore, we place our bets on entrepreneurship as a form of emancipation and autonomous, interdependent action in the world. In this sense, we foster businesses that value and promote sociobiodiversity. We see human relations and governance as nodes of the web that sustains complex solutions, and that is why we believe that collective solutions, being more resilient than individual ones, can and should be developed.
Sustainable tourism and its associated production
Tourism, as a driving activity for the economy, generates 1 in every 10 jobs worldwide. Developed with a focus on the distribution of benefits across territories and the appreciation of natural and cultural heritage, Tourism can be a powerful source of sustainable income. Handicrafts, gastronomy, agroecology, and other cultural products and services all form its associated production.
Entrepreneurship and Income Generation
Raízes (Portuguese for “Roots”) is proud to have helped start and/or grow dozens of companies. Uncomplicated management, financial education, marketing and production strategies are notions that should be absorbed into the routine of entrepreneurs. Some of our projects have also entailed support with market-access and seed-investment application. Our main expertise and skills lie within the creative economy sectors, especially tourism, craftwork, gastronomy and culture.
Gender equity and female empowerment
The 5th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG5) of the United Nations (UN) is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. In Brazil, this goal is particularly important, given we are ranked the fifth country in the world in domestic violence numbers. Structural sexism still prevents many women from living fully and being able to enjoy their most basic rights.
Network Governance
We believe that collective solutions are more resilient than individual ones. Managing challenges together allows us to access other angles and see more creative and rich alternatives. Working in groups or networks also has the added benefits of distributing tasks for a lighter construction and the possibility of achieving greater results. As the African proverb says: “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”
Traditional Communities
Raízes works with intervention models in its projects that respect and place the autonomy and identity of the participants at center stage. In this way, it is possible to adapt solutions from other contexts to the needs and specificities of traditional peoples who so desire. We believe that diversity and tradition are great assets that deserve respect and appreciation.
