TerPaz in Brazil: Building stronger neighborhoods and strengthening community life
For many families in Pará, getting help can mean long distances and many stops along the way, one place for documents, another for health care, another for courses or social support. Through the Territórios pela Paz (TerPaz) program, services are gathered under one roof in community centers, making support easier to reach and opening up new opportunities close to home for local communities in Brazil.
Since the TerPaz program was established in 2019, Hydro has supported the opening of seven community centers, called Usina da Paz, in Brazil. Delivered in partnership with the Government of Pará, the centers bring essential services and activities together in one place, especially in areas where access has been limited, so support is easier to reach in everyday life.
When services are scattered, the burden often falls on the people who need them most. A single appointment can take a full day. Missing documents can delay access to other support. And for young people, the lack of a safe and structured place to spend time can close doors before they open.
The Usina da Paz community centers are built to change that. They bring essential services and activities together under one roof, so residents can solve practical needs, access health and social support, and take part in learning, sport, and culture close to home. For young people, the sports arenas can be the first reason to come. Training, playing, and organized activities make the community centers a safe place to belong, and often an easy first step to discovering the wider services available.
“The Terpaz program is about having a safe space to live. When culture, services and opportunities are easier to access, the communities can strengthen the relationships that make up the social tissue of a neighborhood. We contributed to the Usina da Paz centers because we believe that resilience will come with a strong sense of citizenship. This is how we operate in the Amazon,” says Eduardo Figueiredo, Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Social Impact in Hydro Bauxite & Alumina.
Making a lasting impact
Across Pará, the seven centers are located in Belém (three units), Moju, Barcarena, Paragominas and Tomé-Açu, with the potential to serve more than 1.8 million people in the municipalities.
Hydro has contributed NOK 900 million (approximately BRL 480 million) to the delivery of the seven centers. The investment is part of Hydro’s broader approach to social impact in Pará, supporting long-term, sustainable development in the communities where it operates.
Creating a difference in everyday life
The real measure of the TerPaz program is what becomes easier on an ordinary day. When services are closer, support is easier to use. When learning and activities are close together under the same roof, people can access what they need: a new skill, the right service, or a more predictable routine for their family.
“These centers are designed to last. When we invest in the communities we operate in, we are helping create a place where services, learning and activities can keep meeting local needs, year after year,” says Eduardo Figueiredo.
TerPaz is a reminder that lasting change begins locally. It starts with something closer to home that can have a direct impact on people’s everyday lives: easier access, more opportunities and stronger community spaces.
About the TerPaz program
Established in 2019, TerPaz (Territórios pela Paz) is a social development program created by the Government of Pará to expand access to essential public services in vulnerable communities across the state. As part of the program, community centers called Usina da Paz are constructed.
The centers function as integrated hubs designed to strengthen social inclusion, reduce inequality and improve opportunities for local residents. Hydro partners with the Government of Pará to construct and deliver the community center facilities in the municipalities where the company is present. According to the state of Pará, the TerPaz program has so far delivered more than 11.1 million services and up to a 90 percent reduction in Intentional Lethal Violent Crimes (CVLI) in the areas where it operates.
In partnership with the Government of Pará, Hydro has helped deliver seven Usina da Paz community centers: three in Belém and the others in Moju, Barcarena, Paragominas and Tomé-Açu.