Our history

Sylvia Guimarães, Laís Fleury, and Maria Tereza 'Fofa' Memberg wanted to learn more about the country they lived in, so they chose to visit the largest region of Brazil: the Brazilian Legal Amazon, which covers 58.9% of our territory. But they didn’t want to just visit, learn, and explore without leaving something behind for the people they would meet along the . They wanted to exchange knowledge, learn, and teach, and that’s when they came up with the idea of bringing books and training reading mediators in the places they visited.

So, in 2001, the three friends set out to implement a pilot project in municipalities in Pará. The initiative was so well received by the communities that, in 2002, they embarked on a ten-month journey through all the states of the Brazilian Legal Amazon, bringing books and training to 53 rural communities.

When they returned to São Paulo, where they had rented a small room to serve as the project’s office, they found many letters asking them to come back, as many other communities wanted libraries and people were eager for training—and that’s how Vaga Lume was born!

History of Recognitions and Awards

2023

United Earth Amazônia Award (the "Green Nobel Prize") in the ESG category, by United Earth Amazônia
Best Education NGO in Brazil, by Instituto Doar
100 Best NGOs in Brazil Award, by Instituto Doar
Municipal Seal of Human Rights and Diversity, from the São Paulo City Hall's
Secretariat of Human and Citizenship.

2022

Best Education NGO in Brazil, by Instituto Doar
100 Best NGOs in Brazil Award, by Instituto Doar
Jabuti Prize in the category Reading Promotion

2021

Best NGOs Award, Instituto Doar
Finalist for the Jabuti Prize in the category Reading Promotion

2020

100 Best NGOs in Brazil Award, Instituto Doar

2019

Cultura Viva Award, from the from the São Paulo City Hall's Secretariat of Culture
Project of the Month, Global Giving

2018

Best Education NGO in Brazil Award, Instituto Doar
100 Best NGOs in Brazil Award, Instituto Doar
Human Rights Award from the European Union, Delegation of the European Union in Brazil
Municipal Seal of Human Rights and Diversity, from the São Paulo City Hall's Secretariat of Human Rights and Citizenship.
Pontos de Cultura Award from the State of São Paulo, São Paulo State's Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy

2017

100 Best NGOs in Brazil Award, Instituto Doar and Época Magazine
Veja-se Award in the Culture category, Veja Magazine

2016

IPL Award – Portraits of Reading, Instituto Pró-Livro

2015

Reference in Innovation and Creativity in Basic Education, Ministry of Education

2014

Reading for All Award, Ministry of Culture

2013

Finalist for the Social Entrepreneur Award, Folha de São Paulo

2011

Intercultural Innovation Award, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UN) and BMW Group

2009

Juscelino Kubitschek Merit for Regional Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

2008

Vivaleitura Award, Ministries of Education and Culture and the Organization of Ibero-American States