Brazil

"The in-country staff, especially the cooks and housekeeper, were a huge part of my experience living in Brazil. They were so welcoming and helpful and made the experience much more enjoyable. They helped with everything from learning Portuguese to accommodating most of the needs of the volunteers."

Lydia Patterson, Volunteer in Brazil

In-Country Staff in Brazil

Local CCS staff in Brazil will welcome you to the community, make you feel at home and help you better understand the culture. They help facilitate your volunteer experience and are always available to handle any questions that may arise. CCS staff is always from the region where we operate, so they can provide a local perspective, help you with learning the local language, and guide you in what to do in your free time.

All of our in-country staff members are warm, loving people who want you to feel right at home and will make sure you are well cared for. The staff at each CCS program site includes, but is not limited to, a Country Director or Program Director, Program Officers, drivers, cooks, cleaners, and guards. Because the staff office is typically located at the CCS Home-Base, a helping hand is never far. Learn more about our Brazil staff below.

Country Director - Grace Najar
Grace Najar, Brazil Country Director Grace was born and raised in Salvador, Bahia. She has a Bachelor of Sciences degree, majoring in Marketing from the Metropolitan State College of Denver. She worked for three years in customer services with a multinational company, and then began volunteering in Sao Paulo for a Children's Hospital that supports children with cancer. Grace has been working with CCS in Brazil since July 2003, acting as the primary liasion for the local Partner Programs.

Program Site Manager - Vinicius Belas Prado
Vinicius manages the Cross-Cultural Solutions Home-Base and staff. He has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the program and for volunteer inquiries. He is a football (soccer) nut and a keen supporter of the Brazil team.

Program Officers - Welfanita Miranda and Karmela Voukides
Welfanita and Karmela are responsible for developing work opportunities for the volunteers and maintaining good relationships between CCS Brazil and our Partner Programs. They also monitor the volunteer work, visit the placements, and are available for any questions from the volunteers.

Accounting/Program Administrator - Viviane Aragao
Viviane is in charge of administrative duties and is responsible for finances in the house.

Cooks - Laura de Jesus and Emilia Santana
Laura and Emilia are from Bahia and great at cooking local specialties and wonderful desserts.

Housekeepers - Maria de Lourdes de Jesus and Jocilene Felix
Maria and Jocilene keep the Home-Base clean. They also love to help volunteers practice their Portuguese.

Drivers - Arlindo Oliveira, Doriano Oliveira, and Agenor Filho
Arlindo, Doriano, and Agenor are our drivers and are great at squeezing in and out of crazy Salvador traffic!

Security - Manoel Silva, Edmundo Bastos and Reinildo Lima
Manoel, Edmundo, and Reinildo let volunteers in and out of the Home-Base and are in charge of house safety.

CCS offers the following programs in Salvador, Brazil:

Volunteer Abroad -- 2 to 12 weeks | Click for Start Dates
Insight Abroad -- 1 week | Click for Start Dates

Request more information about volunteering in Brazil or read more about the CCS Experience in Salvador, Brazil from the topics below:

Read stories and testimonials of participants who have volunteered in Brazil or watch one of our videos on volunteering abroad.