Dear Eco Caminhos community,

April at Eco Caminhos was a month of meaningful encounters, cultural exchange, and hands-on experiences. Each day was unique, filled with enriching experiences, and brought new perspectives on what it means to live permaculture at its best.

The visit of the local school kids and the mayor

In this month, our work at Eco Caminhos could be seen from different perspectives.

We received, on the same day, both kids from a school from Nova Friburgo and the mayor of our city. The children took part in activities around the farm, such as collecting eggs, learning about composting while experimenting with the heat of the soil, playing with the worms, and also had a culinary experience, participated in baking a cake, and washing lettuce to prepare salad for our lunch at the farm. 

They played, danced, and sang with volunteers from the farm and also with the Greeks and Cypriots from Wheeling2help.

In addition, our eco farm was visited by our city mayor and his team of secretaries, including the education, social development and human rights secretariat. They were taken on a tour around the farm and they got to know more about Eco Caminhos and Ecolibrium Association, our mission, and future plans.

Hands Willing to Volunteer 

To help or not to help? That was never the question.

For the second time at Eco Caminhos, the Greek NGO Wheeling2help brought people who were enthusiastic to make the difference and participate in our projects by diving into permaculture, agroforestry, bioconstruction, and much more.

They also visited the local school Cardinot and carried out a social action together with Eco Caminhos volunteers. There, these volunteers helped us rebuild the fence around the school.

Also, they painted a world map mural with the children, taught them some Greek words, and shared special moments playing traditional Greek games. 

Directly from the birthplace of philosophy – Greece, Cyprus, and Crete – they came to have another great experience at our permaculture farm diving into agroforestry and natural building. In the end, they had a blast at our farm, made friends, marvelled at the nature and waterfalls nearby, leaving behind the uplifting effect of their presence, culture, and generosity.

Dragon’s Head Hike

The State Park Three Peaks is the largest state park of Rio de Janeiro, with about 65 thousand hectares, created to protect the Atlantic Forest and host the highest mountains of Serra do Mar. The highest peak, reaches more than 2.300 m, being a reference to climbing and ecotourism.

Our volunteers Vanessa, Judith, Caterina, and our tour guide Dutra, went for a hike on Dragon’s Head (Cabeça do Dragão), on Three Peaks State Park, and it turned into a really fun day out in nature! The trail took the volunteers through lush forest paths, fresh mountain air, and plenty of beautiful views along the way.

There was a great mix of energy in the group: lots of laughter, good conversations, and contemplation. 

At the top, they were rewarded with an amazing panoramic view of the mountains. There were snacks, photos, and the feeling of “we made it” was the icing on the cake.

Camila’s Birthday Full of Surprises

April was the month in which we celebrated Camila’s birthday. There was not only a delicious big chocolate cake and a celebration at the end of that Thursday, but also a city tour in the morning and afternoon.

Noemi, Jack, Ana, Jan, Caterina, and Judith made her day brighter. They had some coffee with pastries, Judith tried everybody’s glasses, and Caterina gave a personal color analysis consultation to all of them. 

Also, all of them had the opportunity to participate in a RPG game about sustainability in the creativity event. In the evening, the celebration took place at Ecolibirum’s kitchen and afterwards, around the campfire.

It was definitely a happy birthday!

Volunteers Wanted 

We are currently looking for motivated volunteers to fill three different positions: agroforestry, bioconstruction, and administration. Each role contributes directly to the daily life and ongoing development of our eco farm.

This is a hands-on opportunity to learn by doing, connect with nature, and take part in real projects focused on sustainability, regeneration, and community living.

If you are craving a more nature-connected lifestyle, looking for new experiences, interested in practicing different languages in a multicultural community, and eager to contribute to a larger regenerative mission, this could be the right place for you.

The experiences of April made us feel inspired and deeply connected.

With the visit of Greek volunteers, joyful moments with local children, hikes through nature, and many shared experiences, it was a month of cultural exchange, community, and meaningful connections.

Text written by Camila.