The Quilombola community of Gruta dos Brejões, located in the rural area of Morro do Chapéu, Bahia, now has a new headquarters focused on strengthening community-based tourism, generating income, and promoting local culture.
The inauguration will take place on June 18th. The space was made possible through socio-environmental investments from Casa dos Ventos related to the Babilônia Sul and Babilônia Centro wind farm complexes, the latter in partnership with ArcelorMittal Brasil.
With an investment of approximately R$ 1.5 million, the initiative will directly benefit around 100 residents, as well as visitors who frequent the region throughout the year.
New headquarters strengthens tourism and income generation.
The project was developed through dialogue with the local population and the demands presented by community leaders. The new structure was designed to bring together productive activities, visitor reception services, and income-generating initiatives.
The headquarters will function as a tourist reception center and as a point of sale for handicrafts, food, and other products produced in the Quilombola community. The space will also include a sewing workshop for the creation of original pieces, contributing to entrepreneurship and financial autonomy, especially among women.
In addition to expanding services for tourists, the headquarters will offer a space for meetings, courses, and community activities, supporting the preservation of traditional knowledge and the appreciation of Quilombola identity.
“We conceived this space by listening to those who live in and know the region, transforming local demands into real opportunities. More than a building, we are delivering a platform for valuing Quilombola culture, uniting tourism and entrepreneurship to ensure that development reaches the community in a continuous and sustainable way,” says José Borges, ESG Manager at Casa dos Ventos.
Brejões Cave brings together natural, historical and cultural heritage.
The Brejões Cave is located in the Morro do Chapéu State Park, an environmental preservation area that brings together biodiversity and important natural, archaeological, paleontological, and geological heritage.
Created in 1985, the conservation unit covers 11,900 hectares and shelters limestone formations sculpted over millennia by the waters of the Jacaré River.
With a length of 7,750 meters and a 106-meter-high entrance, the Brejões Cave is considered one of the largest caves in Brazil. The area also includes archaeological sites with rock paintings and lithic artifacts, as well as paleontological sites that preserve fossils of Pleistocene megafauna.
In this territory, community-based tourism contributes to integrating the conservation of environmental and cultural heritage with the creation of economic opportunities for the local population.
For Anailde, a quilombola community leader from Brejões Cave, the new structure represents an important transformation for the residents.
“In the past, meetings, courses, and activities took place at my house. Now we have a headquarters, a larger space, to better receive tourists and work with more dignity.”
Development built in partnership with the community.
The inauguration ceremony will be held in the community itself and will bring together residents, local leaders, representatives of public authorities, ArcelorMittal Brazil, and Casa dos Ventos.
Casa dos Ventos' socio-environmental work includes initiatives focused on professional training, income generation, and sustainable development in the territories where the company operates. The new headquarters in Gruta dos Brejões reinforces this work by integrating cultural appreciation, productive inclusion, and territorial development.
