In 2017, thousands of people, especially Team Members of the Odebrecht Group and partner companies, came together to help in the education of hundreds of children and teens. Through the Tribute to the Future initiative of the Odebrecht Foundation, approximately R$2.2 million were collected through donations or the allocation of a part of income tax. In the last campaign, around 4,800 people participated, who will benefit, directly and indirectly, over 8,200 families and students of Family Houses supported by the Foundation through the Program for Development and Growth Integrated with Sustainability (PDCIS).

Fátima Berbert, an Odebrecht S.A. team member, has been deducting a portion of her income tax to support the Tribute to the Future initiative since its launch in 2004. A few years ago she visited the Family Houses and, despite the incessant rainfall at that time, was amazed by what she saw. “The visit is remarkable. I got in touch with teens who had impressive qualifications and who were conscious of all they do; it was very moving. I don’t know of anyone who went there and wasn’t touched,” she says. As she has always done, Fátima intends to continue supporting Tribute to the Future in the coming years. “I know the importance of Odebrecht Foundation in the Baixo Sul region of Bahia. The growth witnessed there has been impressive. I believe in these projects,” Fátima stresses.

Team Members of the Odebrecht Group, inspired by the impacts caused, volunteered to mobilize coworkers and relatives to contribute as well. They are called Agents of the Future for taking up the mission of raising awareness and influencing more and more people to positively transform the lives of children and teens in rural areas.  In the last campaign, 187 Agents of the Future jointly raised over R$1 million, which is equivalent to 45% of all the funds raised.

Neivaldo Vaz, Team Member of Cetrel (Central de Tratamento de Efluentes Líquidos), became an Agent in 2010 and, supported by colleagues, organizes presentations about Tribute to the Future at the company. “Last time, we brought teens from Family Houses to talk about the initiative.  It was an enriching moment and had tremendous repercussion,” he recalls. He recognizes that the impacts go beyond the educational aspect – they help transform the lives of beneficiaries, directly or indirectly, as a whole. “It is a project that opens up opportunities in the rural area. It is common to see teens migrating to state capitals where, often, there are no prospects. The Tribute promotes employment and income generation,” he pointed out, concluding that “what motivates me to contribute is the love for my neighbor.” At the end of the campaign, Neivaldo raised around R$11,000 in donations.

At the Orobó community in the city of Valença, Bahia, 17-year-old Leonice dos Santos feels the effects brought about by the contributions. A high school senior student at the The Rural Family House of President Tancredo Neves (CFR-PTN), the teen tells how much the school has transformed her daily life. “The CFR-PTN gave me a perspective of a better future. Studying and learning more effective agricultural techniques to help my family has always been my dream,” she remarked. Thanks to funds from Tribute to the Future, she started implementing projects of crops she didn’t even know existed, helping to raise her family’s income. “I am transforming dreams into reality. As my father says: it helps us, the youth, to grow up and achieve things that might not have been possible without this support.”

In the coming years, Tribute to the Future will continue with its mission of supporting and inspiring more teens.  “With the enthusiasm of those who contribute to the initiative, the institutions supported by Odebrecht Foundation promote social inclusion, employment and income generation, and self-development, impacting not just families but entire communities, in a great virtuous cycle,” says Cristiane Nascimento, Team Member of Odebrecht Foundation, coordinator of Tribute to the Future and in charge of PDCIS.

Transparent process

Do you know the routes taken by donations made by contributors to the Tribute to the Future until they reach the beneficiaries?

Every year, Odebrecht Foundation raises funds through tax incentive laws related to the Rights of Children and Adolescents, envisaged in the Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA). The contributions, whether in the form of donations or income tax, go straight to the Municipal Funds for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (FMDCA) managed by the respective Municipal Councils for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (CMDCA).

The tax benefit given to income tax payers who allocate donations to these funds is also determined by the ECA. For individual taxpayers, the benefit is up to 6% of the tax payable as per the annual income tax return. For legal entities, the benefit is up to 1% of the tax payable based on the taxable income method.

The Rural Family House of President Tancredo Neves (CFR-PTN), The Rural Family House of Igrapiúna (CFR-I) and Agroforestry Family House (Cfaf) receive funds from Tribute to the Future and are educational institutions supported by the PDCIS.