Recife

Recife, a city of rivers and bridges, is also a city of barriers—some visible, others deeply ingrained in its social fabric.

For years, its most vulnerable communities have faced cycles of violence, poverty, and neglect, trapped in a system that offers little opportunity for change.

Institutional fragmentation has long plagued governance, with disconnected policies and agencies failing to work together. Security strategies, rooted in outdated methods of punishment and repression, have done little to prevent crime or address its root causes.

Young people, particularly those in marginalized neighbourhoods, navigate daily threats of violence with few safe spaces to turn to. Schools, often underfunded, struggle to keep them engaged, while job opportunities remain scarce.

Without alternatives, many fall into the grip of crime, their futures shaped more by survival than ambition.

At the heart of Recife’s challenges lies a fundamental gap: the absence of inclusive, community-centred solutions that empower its most vulnerable citizens.

Addressing these issues requires a shift from control to care, from enforcement to prevention—a transformation that is long overdue.

For decades, Recife’s most vulnerable communities lacked access to essential public services, and security policies focused more on repression than prevention. COMPAZ emerged as a transformative solution, redefining urban security by fostering opportunity, inclusion, and peace.

Instead of relying solely on law enforcement to combat violence, COMPAZ offers an integrated approach. With six operational centres and two more under construction, these state-of-the-art facilities serve as safe havens, providing educational, cultural, and sports programs that keep young people engaged and off the streets. Families also benefit, accessing legal aid, social assistance, and entrepreneurship programs—all under one roof.

Inspired by Medellín’s “social urbanism” model, COMPAZ integrates multiple public policies into a single space, making services more accessible and strengthening community ties. This innovative approach aligns with global sustainability goals, reducing inequalities (SDG 10), ensuring inclusive public spaces (SDG 11), and promoting peace and justice (SDG 16).

With 85,000 registered users in 2024, COMPAZ is more than a community centre—it is a “citizenship factory,” transforming entire neighbourhoods and reshaping Recife’s future.

In the heart of Recife’s most vulnerable neighbourhoods, where violence often dictates the course of young lives, COMPAZ is rewriting the story.

Designed as a beacon of hope, these centres serve children, youth, and the elderly—predominantly Black residents from low-income backgrounds—offering them a space where opportunity replaces despair.

While COMPAZ welcomes all, its core mission is clear: to protect and empower young Black boys and girls growing up on the outskirts of the city. In these areas, homicide rates for young people are 2.5 times higher than the general population, and unemployment among those aged 18 to 24 is twice the national average.

Lacking options, many are drawn into the grip of organized crime, while others face harsh repression from law enforcement. COMPAZ steps in to break this cycle—not with force, but with opportunity.

Through digital inclusion courses, job training, sports, and cultural programs, the initiative provides alternatives to a life of violence. And the results speak for themselves. Just two years after the launch of COMPAZ units, neighbourhoods with the most engaged participants saw a sharp decline in violent crimes—13.8% in one area, 5.8% in another—while the rest of the city continued to struggle.

But beyond statistics, COMPAZ restores something far more valuable: hope. For many, these centres are the first place where they feel safe, seen, and supported.

By investing in people rather than punishment, COMPAZ is proving that true security begins with inclusion, and that every young person, no matter where they come from, deserves the chance to dream of a better future.