Sabrina

Sabrina grew up learning basic environmental care but soon realized that true sustainability requires structured action and community engagement. During visits to her grandfather’s farm near Ibotirama, Bahia, she witnessed the harmful effects of improper solid waste disposal, including its impact on a nearby river and vulnerable neighborhoods, and saw similar issues at her school, where waste management was lacking. 

Motivated by a scientific initiation scholarship from the Ocean Olympiad, she created Filhas de Gaia (Daughters of Gaia), an environmental education initiative focused on solid waste management that started at her school, promoting lasting change through workshops, educational games, compost bins, a recycling app, and partnerships with recycling centers. 

The project, co-led by six young volunteers, has changed behaviors within the school, gained recognition at science fairs and aims to expand to other schools while building partnerships with local recycling centers and government to ensure sustainability. Through this journey, Sabrina developed organization, patience, leadership, and communication skills, learning to value collective work and adapt while inspiring others to transform their communities one step at a time.