Como transformar caroços de açaí em tijolos para o futuro | Francielly Rodrigues | TEDxAmazônia

Quick Overview

Francielly Rodrigues turned the discarded açaí seed shells from her Amazonian community into sustainable building material, successfully developing an açaí brick prototype that was tested at UFPA and presented at national science fairs, fulfilling her childhood dream of making her community visible and inspiring new generations of researchers.

Key Points: Francielly Rodrigues developed a sustainable building material using discarded açaí seed shells, which typically represent 85% of the fruit and are discarded daily in the Belém metropolitan region. She grew up in Igarapé Itapera, a remote community in Pará, where lack of infrastructure meant a 1.5-hour boat ride plus a bus ride was necessary for basic needs. Her childhood dream, heavily influenced by reading science fiction, was to travel and see the world, a dream encouraged by her supportive mother and grandmother. The development of the açaí brick involved four steps: clay extraction, shell burning, shell crushing (initially using a blender, later a manual process), and activation/mixing. The project, called 'A Casa de Açaí,' was developed in partnership with UPA (Club of Sciences and Communities) and led to her winning over 10 national and international awards, including one from the UOL portal. The success of the project, which included involving children in the process, helped her secure funding to buy a space for the club and inspired her to pursue architecture and urbanism. The key message she conveys is that the first step to realizing a dream is believing it is possible, a belief nurtured by her community and mentors like Professor Daniele.

Context: Francielly Rodrigues presents her journey from a remote community in Pará, Brazil, to developing an innovative, sustainable construction material using waste from açaí processing. She emphasizes the challenges of growing up far from urban centers and how her passion for reading and strong family support fueled her scientific ambitions. The project, 'A Casa de Açaí,' aimed to transform local waste into valuable resources, connecting science education with community needs.