The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce announced Amigos do Bem as the recipient of the 2023 Social Responsibility Award. The award recognizes the organization’s entrepreneurship in social responsibility, promoting the enhancement of society as a whole.
Founded in 1993 by Alcione Albanesi, Amigos do Bem transforms lives in the northeastern hinterland, the most populous semi-arid zone in the world and the poorest region in Brazil. Amigos do Bem is among the largest social institutions in Brazil, with 10,600 active volunteers who, every month, change the lives of over 150,000 people in 300 extremely poor and isolated cities.
Through humanitarian actions and social and digital entrepreneurship, Amigos do Bem is breaking a centuries-old cycle of hunger and poverty in Brazil. Today, over 10,000 children and young people are regularly served with education, extracurricular activities, university scholarships, and vocational courses – and 1,500 direct jobs have been created, bringing work, income, and dignity to remote villages in the hinterland.
In 2023, Amigos do Bem celebrates 30 years of dedication to social transformation in Brazil, changing lives through education, income generation, community development, social inclusion, and the eradication of hunger and poverty.
The Social Responsibility Award will be presented to Alcione Albanesi, President & Founder of Amigos do Bem, at the 2023 Person of the Year Awards Gala Dinner on May 10, at The Glasshouse. Nearly 1,000 leaders from international business, finance, and diplomatic communities will gather in New York for this traditional annual gala.