Building New Norms

March 8, 2011Norma Silva Sá, project coordinator for Abrigo Maria Imaculada and CEDPA alumna, sees great opportunities for women, especially those she works with, in Brazil's future.

“Brazil is in a period of economic growth. The state is going to ramp up construction work in the next few years,” explains Norma. “The infrastructure that is necessary for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 are exciting possibilities for the project I coordinate.”

Norma leads the Projeto Mão na Massa (Hands in the Mortar Project), whose principal mission is to include women in the predominantly male, public works sector. Working with underprivileged women in the slums of Rio de Janiero, Norma and her organization provide women with training on how to work in construction.

Almost 70% of the women who qualified for the program are employed within 6 months after graduating from the program. This level of success is a source of great pride for Norma and she hopes it will lead to the breaking down of gender paradigms.

“We are looking for economic partners, like construction companies and employee unions, so we can shift the current paradigm,” she says. “Based on the CEDPA triangle, I verified that we have a favorable environment, opportunities and the knowledge to take advantage of this moment and increase women's economic participation.”

Norma refers to the CEDPA economic empowerment triangle that she learned during the 2009 Global Women in Management (GWIM) workshop in Rio de Jainero.

“The GWIM workshop introduced me to the stories of women in diverse parts of the world who live the same problems, and, from diverse experiences, they manage to achieve participation and even economic emancipation,” says Norma

Her fellow participants came from all over the world and many certainly had different backgrounds from her own. Norma was one of six children. Her father was a career military man and her mother a seamstress. Though her family never had much money, she had a happy home.

Ever independent and with a thirst for knowledge, Norma was able to scrap enough together through scholarships and odd jobs to get a university degree and became a licensed psychologist. One of the jobs she took at a daycare helped solidify her future.

“I did a course to be a teacher’s aide and [was] an intern at an institution for impoverished children,” she explains. “I think that this was a big influence on dedicating my work to vulnerable populations.”

After graduating, she applied for a job at Abrigo Maria Imaculada. She started off as a psychologist in their daycare center, but quickly advanced to managing the Projeto Mão na Massa and the Projeto Brincando e Estudando. (Jumping and Studying project), which ensures education for children and adolescents. Norma heard about the GWIM workshops shops while working on these projects.

Participating in the workshop forced Norma to adjust her way of thinking. When she returned to work after being gone for a month, she began implementing what she learned.

“Before my participation in GWIM, I was never away from work for so long nor delegated so many tasks to other members of my team,” she says. “The experience served as a wake-up call that I could delegate some of the work and responsibility that I took on...and this helped to relieve the stress I had.”

Norma also closely evaluated her program when she returned from the workshop and began thinking of ways to increase advocacy surrounding the economic participation of women.

“The CEDPA workshop made me see the importance of the niche in the work I do, to give it more importance in the political arena and take advantage of the favorable political environment in my country,” she explains.

Norma has been successful. A few months ago, with Norma's support, a new law was introduced for debate that would reserve jobs for women in any government sponsored construction projects.

Norma thoroughly enjoys the work that she does because she knows she is doing it for her children and her country's future.

“That which gives me the most pride is to know that my work is able to help other people and contribute to a more just society,” says Norma.

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