After sharing the internal advances that have made us stronger on the inside, it’s time to show what we’ve built on the outside, alongside our clients, partners, and communities. Each project we carried out in 2024 transpired a bit of our essence and reflected the power of connections, collaborative work, and transformation made with purpose and impact. No matter the size of the challenge or the territory: we believe that every seed planted can bear fruit that positively affects people, places, and futures.
In this article, we bring you the details, results, and lessons learned from the projects that Raízes had the privilege of carrying out throughout the year. From the fostering of tourist destinations to the training of entrepreneurs, from the culture that pulses in quilombola communities to the promotion of sustainable handicrafts: 2024 was a year of stories that deserve to be told.
We invite you to walk through these territories with us and celebrate each achievement.
Impact on project realities
In 2024, we had the privilege of working on projects that reinforced our commitment to positive impact and social transformation. We had the 2nd edition of Mentoring for Small Tourism Businesses, an action that is part of the Tourism + Sustainability Project, promoted by Conservation International Brazil (CI-Brasil), in partnership with Futuri, in which we supported initiatives that sought to align business practices with sustainability in tourism, helping businesses to flourish with purpose.
At the end of the collective mentorships in December, we had a celebratory ceremony with an online play produced and performed by the 2021 accelerators, A Flor de Maio, a theater group from Minas Gerais. We celebrated 75 hours of collective mentoring with 24 different tourism and sustainability professionals.
Another incredible project that is still ongoing is the Tourism Development Project in the São Domingos Quilombo in Paracatu – MG, in partnership with Sebrae Minas. Here we delve into the quilombola’s rich history to develop community tourism, valuing the region’s ancestry and economic potential.
We continued to strengthen sustainable fashion with the Mãos à Moda Almenara Project, which began in 2023, and we started Gente de Fibra Maria da Fé, also in partnership with Sebrae Minas.
The Mariense Handicraft Cooperative, represented by the Gente de Fibra nucleus, has been producing in Maria da Fé for over 25 years. The project was created in order to realocate the group in the market, taking into account economic, management and creative issues. There were 10 consultancy activities, focusing on local identity, design workshops, strategic repositioning, communication, financial management and business modeling. We had active participation, including in alignments and discussions of the project’s progress, from consultants Mazarelo Miranda, Carolina Braga, Andréia Duarte and Claudia Gonçalves. The group took part in 3 craft fairs, total production of the kick-off and 4 reports.
The highlights of Mãos à Moda Almenara include the creation of the Almenara Têxtil brand and the fashion show held at São Paulo EcoFashion in December. Both projects paved the way for local artisans and producers to transform their creativity into sustainable businesses.
With the São João da Boa Vista – Águas da Prata Tourist Train project, in partnership with VLI and APMF, we are studying the vocation and feasibility of operating a passenger train with a focus on the different tourist profiles in the region. The aim is to analyze safe ways of reviving the charm of rail journeys, transforming them into unique cultural experiences with a low environmental impact.
In addition, smaller but equally valuable projects have brought us unique learnings. We worked with Re.green on the project to identify, listen to and consult local actors at the Muanza Farm, located in the south of Bahia. The initiative was the first stage of certification for carbon credits from reforestation of native forests. Raízes identified and consulted 5 communities, including an MST settlement and a quilombo; secretariats, unions and school centers in the municipalities of Gandu-BA, Taperoá-BA and Nilo Peçanha-BA; as well as surveying technicians, academics and local leaders. As a result, information was systematized and consolidated through social listening One Pages, a map of stakeholders, risks and mapped conflicts.
We strengthened our work with the Brazilian Luxury Travel Association (BLTA), resuming the work we started in 2023 when we spoke at the association’s sustainability meeting. This time we facilitated a two-day meeting at the headquarters of one of the members in Bahia and helped businesses reflect on how they can be more active in the environmental, social and governance fields. The result was a manifesto shared by the 60 luxury tourism companies that make up the organization.
We also contributed to the enhancement and conservation of protected areas in Espírito Santo, expanding our work with Greentec. This year, we prepared opinions for public use and visitation in the Cachoeira da Fumaça State Park and the Pedra do Elefante Environmental Protection Area, promoting a balance between sustainable tourism and environmental preservation. By doing this, we completed a significant milestone: seven conservation units served in the state, including work carried out in previous years at Pedra Azul State Park, Forno Grande State Park, Mata das Flores State Park, Mulembá Municipal Park and Serra das Torres Natural Monument.
For the Arbo Institute, we facilitated the NGO’s strategic planning, focusing on organizational and governance issues. Together with Movimento Cultura, we provided training for cultural entrepreneurs in Brumadinho and Aimorés (MG) and Manaus (AM). The classes were face-to-face and the courses consisted of 15 lessons in one week. The entrepreneurs from these municipalities received information on creative business modeling, pricing in culture, communication, marketing and market strategies.
We come to the end of this retrospective with hearts full of gratitude and renewed purpose. Looking back and seeing everything we built in 2024 – the challenges faced, the lessons learned and the impacts generated – fills us with hope for what is to come. Each project, partnership and achievement reaffirms that it is possible to transform realities when we walk together, with commitment and care.
May this year inspire us all to continue planting seeds, strengthening connections and creating sustainable paths in 2025. We thank everyone who has been part of this journey: clients, partners, communities and, of course, our dedicated team that makes Raízes what it is. May we continue to grow, inspire and positively impact more and more lives and territories.
Let’s go together! See you at the next cycle.
