Service learning and sustainable community development

What is it about?

This article explores how a university in Northeast Brazil partnered with a rural community to address local development challenges while helping students learn about sustainability. Using a hands-on educational approach called service learning, students applied classroom knowledge to real-world problems, such as improving the local sale of pequi fruit, a regional product. The project helped the community increase its income, supported women’s participation, and promoted environmental awareness. At the same time, students gained important skills for their future careers. The study demonstrates that collaboration between universities and communities can create lasting benefits for both and provides a model for similar projects elsewhere.

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Photo by PROJETO CAFÉ GATO-MOURISCO on Unsplash

Photo by PROJETO CAFÉ GATO-MOURISCO on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study shows how a Brazilian university worked with a rural community to create a service learning project that improved local incomes, empowered women, and protected the environment. By linking classroom learning with real-world problem solving, it offers a practical model that other universities and communities can adapt to achieve shared sustainability goals.

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