The Secretary of State for Youth and Equality, Carla Rodrigues, was in Ermesinde on September 11 to learn about the ReTocar project, by the Sojovem association. Also present were Paulo Esteves Ferreira, mayor of Valongo, vice-mayor Ana Maria Rodrigues, several officials from IPDJ and the Employment Centers of Valongo and Maia. The visit to the Sojovem headquarters was led by the association's president, Luís Ramalho.
The ReTocar project is an International Work Camp that brought together 12 young volunteers from different countries to work in Ermesinde for two weeks. The goal is to encourage young people to adopt a creative and practical approach to sustainability, transforming recyclable materials into musical instruments and promoting educational and recreational activities for children in the local community.
During the speeches at the headquarters, speakers praised this type of action that enables exchange between young people from various countries. Luís Ramalho spoke about the history of Sojovem, Paulo Esteves Ferreira referred to the importance of this type of exchange, and Carla Rodrigues highlighted the importance of government officials going to the field to learn about projects. The guests listened to young people play instruments built with recycled items and talk about their sharing experience.
Sojovem began informally around 1994, when a group of friends and local young people came together to organize football tournaments and energize the community. The association was formally founded on April 2, 1997, with the initial focus of supporting residents of the Bairro das Saibreiras in Ermesinde, with support from the Centro Social de Ermesinde. Luís Ramalho is one of the most prominent founding members.
