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Thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers, a former landfill for a Rio de Janeiro slum has been turned into a park. Around 300 years ago, three houses were built in this forested area that was technically considered a protected zone. At one point, city officials expelled the inhabitants. But that did little to diminish the mountain of garbage that had a tendency of spreading to nearby residential areas. That’s when Quintanilha, who lived close by, stepped in. Together with a group of 20 volunteers, he spent a year cleaning up the area. The effort paid off. The green oasis today also has a special section nearby dedicated to teaching children how to garden.
