Two pieces of good news mark the month of February: the opening of the Marista Porto Walter School in the interior of Acre, and the celebration of three years of operation of Marista Brasil, movements that reaffirm the commitment to evangelizing education and a significant presence in all territories.

Located on the banks of the Juruá River, the city of Porto Walter received the first basic education unit of Marista Brasil in the region. The new social school will operate in partnership with the municipality’s City Hall, guaranteeing the continuity of free public education for approximately 450 students in the final years of elementary school. The initiative is the result of the shared management of the former Manoel Moreira Pinheiro Elementary School, formalized by municipal legislation.

The new unit integrates the network of social schools of Marista Brasil, which today totals 33 schools in operation in the country, serving more than 11,000 children and adolescents in situations of social vulnerability.

According to the president of the Board of Directors of Marista Brasil, Claudiano Tiecher, the expansion of its presence in the Amazon directly aligns with the institutional mission. “Being in a territory of great diversity and social relevance reinforces our commitment to caring for life, promoting human dignity, and strengthening local realities through education. The Marist Brothers have been working in the region for over 50 years and now also with a new basic education unit,” he emphasizes.

Three years of journey, integration, and network strengthening

The arrival in Porto Walter also symbolizes the moment experienced by Marist Brazil as it completes three years of operation. More than a commemorative date, the period marks a journey of institutional integration, maturation of governance, and strengthening of network action, inspired by the legacy of Saint Marcellin Champagnat.

“We have traveled complex routes, crossed rivers of difficulties, built bridges through daily work, and maintained beacons that guide formative trajectories,” points out Brother Claudiano Tiecher, reflecting on the path taken by the institution.

Among the advances in this period, one can highlight the strengthening of cooperation, the integration of projects and processes, and the appreciation of local specificities. A networked approach that amplifies impact and ensures the continuity of the educational and evangelizing mission.

In celebrating its third anniversary, Marista Brasil reaffirms that its trajectory is the result of collective effort, shared responsibility, and the faith that sustains its mission. A path built daily by more than 17,000 educators who bring to life the Marist commitment to an education that transforms lives and generates social impact throughout the country.