Recycling cooperative workers in Ceilândia pursue higher education

Workers at the Recicle a Vida recycling cooperative in Ceilândia, Distrito Federal, are pursuing higher education and professional development. Maria de Sousa Santos, a 42-year-old mother and grandmother, is the first in her family to enter university. She balances a demanding daytime role separating recyclable materials with nighttime studies.

The cooperative, which consists of 75 members—mostly women—provides various benefits including health plans, transportation assistance, and meals. Through partnerships with institutions such as Sescoop-DF, Senac-DF, and Sesc-DF, the organization offers vocational courses in fields like informatics, sewing, and hairdressing to support its members' social and professional advancement.