A Trip to Brazil - Itajobi
“Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It is about doing more good.”
Introduction
At Snowdrop, we aim to design and manufacture simple modular homes. We envision these homes to help address the inadequacies of current disaster relief efforts and community building projects, both domestic and international. We believe in creating environments that meet peoples’ needs for shelter, energy, water, health, and agriculture, enabling them to spend their free time being more productive members of society. This blog series reflects what we have accomplished thus far and how we plan to advance our mission in the future. Follow us on our journey!
Update Overview
This past May, two members of our Snowdrop team, flew to São Paulo, Brazil where they visited a small city named Itajobi approximately 400 km from the capital. Commonly known as “Cidade do Limão” or the “City of Lime,” Itajobi’s fertile land and semi-tropical climate makes it a sweet-spot for both citrus and sugar cane farming. Itajobi is currently the second largest exporter of lime from Brazil and is also home to many cattle ranches. The primary reason for their trip was to target and acquaint themselves with potential partners in the area. We hope to prototype one of our initial designs in the country, working alongside local vendors and organizations who can provide access to building materials.
First on the agenda was to visit a local factory that specializes in fulfilling requests for industrial furniture, appliances, and bespoke fabrication from small to medium-sized businesses. The meeting was successful and, after a tour of their operations and heavy machinery, we hope to develop a long-term partnership with this factory as a lumber and metal supply source.
Later, the team connected with Itajobi’s Major to visit a sponsored low-income developing lot. The lot’s master-plan consisted of several hundred solar-powered two-bedroom homes valued around $10,000 USD. The housing system is based on an agreement between the residents and the city/county governments to repay their home value after a pre-determined time. These local governments are strongly committed to providing both affordable housing and self-sufficient energy to the residents of Itajobi. In parallel, Snowdrop is also committed to giving back and using local resources to power the future of self-sufficient homes, independent from a city grid at net-zero/positive standards. We are delighted to have visited one of the many future cities that will be a second home to Snowdrop.
Overall, the team made some valuable in-country connections for Snowdrop that may lead to strong partnerships in the future. As we are prototyping possible designs and developing our vision for change, we are excited for what the future may bring and look forward to getting started in Brazil!
End Notes
If you like what Snowdrop is all about, spread the word by sharing this page or telling others. If you would like to learn more about our project and follow us on our journey, check out the link below. If you’d like to volunteer or work for us, stay tuned for opportunities to get involved. If you want to help us fund the implementation of tangible solutions on the ground, consider donating below. Whatever your capacity is, do that. Work with us and make a lasting impact on our world.
All profits will go into research, implementation or the purchase of equipment that aligns with project goals to create sustainable solutions for disaster relief or communities of developing countries.
As always, if you have any questions, suggestions or comments, I would love to hear from you in the comments section below or through email to thesnowdropteam@gmail.com or rikysongsu@gmail.com.