Vaga Lume Association
We are Vaga Lume - a movement for equity through literacy in the heart of the Amazon. Our name means "firefly" in Portuguese, a symbol of light in …
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We are Vaga Lume - a movement for equity through literacy in the heart of the Amazon. Our name means "firefly" in Portuguese, a symbol of light in the dark, just like the power of books in remote communities. We were founded in 2001 with a vision for a more equitable Brazil - a country where, regardless of a child's socioeconomic status, ethnic background, disability, or region, access to literary education is always within reach and no dream is too big. To bring this vision to life, we empower children in rural communities in the Brazilian Amazon through literacy and community, by fostering reading and operating community libraries as spaces for knowledge sharing. Over the past 23 years, we have …
Mission
We are Vaga Lume - a movement for equity through literacy in the heart of the Amazon. Our name means "firefly" in Portuguese, a symbol of light in the dark, just like the power of books in remote communities. We were founded in 2001 with a vision for a more equitable Brazil - a country where, regardless of a child's socioeconomic status, ethnic background, disability, or region, access to literary education is always within reach and no dream is too big. To bring this vision to life, we empower children in rural communities in the Brazilian Amazon through literacy and community, by fostering reading and operating community libraries as spaces for knowledge sharing. Over the past 23 years, we have constructed and maintained 97 community libraries throughout the region. Each one serves as a space where knowledge and culture are exchanged, always honoring the unique traditions and needs of each community. These libraries have benefitted more than 111,000 children, opening doors to new worlds and perspectives through reading, literacy, and respect for their own cultural diversity. But our mission goes far beyond the walls of our libraries. By expanding access to literacy, we help children in the Amazon understand cultures and customs different from their own, empower them to embrace their identity, and - most importantly - inspire them to dream bigger. Our work takes place in the Amazon, one of the most vital regions in the world - rich in cultural and environmental diversity, vast in territory, and home to millions. It spans 9 countries, includes 33 million inhabitants, and shelters 385 distinct Indigenous ethnic groups. Yet, it also faces deep challenges: one of the lowest Human Development Indexes in Brazil, and a population where 20% are functionally illiterate. We operate in 97 rural communities - including Indigenous, riverside, roadside, rural settlement, and quilombola (Afro-Brazilian) populations - across 22 municipalities in the Brazilian Legal Amazon.
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· vs. 8 similar human services in BrazilRed flags
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· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyVaga Lume Association is a registered human services nonprofit based in Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. It is registered with the Receita Federal (CNPJ). It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 26/100 (Limited data available). This reflects limited public data, not concerns about the organization. This is below the average of 39/100 for human services charities in Brazil.
Vaga Lume Association has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 26/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 26 ('Limited data available') reflects limited public data, not concerns about the organization. This is common for smaller, newer, or non-US charities that file fewer public records. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for human services charities in Brazil is 39/100.
Vaga Lume Association is located in Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Its registered address is R. Aspicuelta, 678, Brazil.
Vaga Lume Association is classified as a Human Services organization, registered in Brazil.
Vaga Lume Association has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 26/100. We recommend reviewing the full profile before making a donation decision. The organization is overseen by the Receita Federal. You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.
We are Vaga Lume - a movement for equity through literacy in the heart of the Amazon. Our name means "firefly" in Portuguese, a symbol of light in the dark, just like the power of books in remote communities. We were founded in 2001 with a vision for a more equitable Brazil - a country where, regardless of a child's socioeconomic status, ethnic background, disability, or region, access to literary education is always within reach and no dream is too big. To bring this vision to life, we empower children in rural communities in the Brazilian Amazon through literacy and community, by fostering reading and operating community libraries as spaces... Vaga Lume Association is classified as a human services organization registered in Brazil.
Among human services charities registered in Brazil: Vaga Lume Association's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 26/100 is below the peer average of 39/100.
Vaga Lume Association is registered in Brazil. While general charitable donations are not directly deductible for individuals, donations to certain government-approved funds (such as those for children's rights or elderly welfare) may qualify for deductions of up to 6% of your income tax due.
You can verify Vaga Lume Association's legal status in three ways. First, search the Receita Federal CNPJ register at https://solucoes.receita.fazenda.gov.br/Servicos/cnpjreva/Cnpjreva_Solicitacao.asp - every legally-registered Brazilian organisation must appear there with its razão social, legal form, registered address, CNAE code, and current status. Second, search the Mapa das OSCs at https://mapaosc.ipea.gov.br/ - IPEA's public database of Brazilian civil-society organisations. Third, ask the organisation for its most recent estatuto social (bylaws, registered with the local cartório de registro civil de pessoas jurídicas) and its most recent prestação de contas (annual financial report) - legitimate Brazilian nonprofits will share these on request. If the CNPJ is active, the Mapa OSC record matches, and the estatuto / financial report are available, the organisation is legitimate.
You can donate to Vaga Lume Association directly through its donation page (https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/quality-education-to-15000-amazon-children/). Brazilian charities overwhelmingly use Pix - Brazil's instant central-bank payment system, free for individuals and accepted by every retail bank. Pix payments settle in seconds using the recipient's CPF/CNPJ, email, phone or random key (chave Pix) and are the default donation channel for most Brazilian nonprofits. Other common channels: boleto bancário (printable payment slip), TED / DOC bank transfer to the organisation's conta corrente, PicPay, Mercado Pago, PagSeguro, and credit card via Brazilian fundraising platforms such as Vakinha, Benfeitoria, Catarse, Kickante, and Sympla. International donors can give via PayPal, GoFundMe, or international wire transfer (SWIFT). For tax-deductible giving under IRPF (income tax), donations must be channelled through specific funds - FUMCAD / Fundo da Criança e do Adolescente, Fundo do Idoso, and incentive laws for culture (Lei Rouanet), sports (Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte) and health (Pronon, Pronas/PCD); donations to most other charities are NOT deductible from Brazilian income tax. Always confirm the recipient's CNPJ and current Receita status before sending funds.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of Brazil under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
Vaga Lume Association is registered in Brazil. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Vaga Lume Association is registered in Brazil. US donors generally cannot deduct gifts to non-US charities directly. To claim a deduction, route the gift through a US 'Friends of' fiscal sponsor or a donor-advised fund that performs equivalency determination (IRS Rev. Proc. 92-94).
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
We check government filings and charity disclosures quarterly. If you represent this charity, claim this page to add officers directly.
Latest news
From global news sources
10 articles found
From global news sources
Sentiment
NeutralUm fóssil em âmbar de 99 milhões de anos comprova que os vaga-lumes já piscavam enquanto os dinossauros caçavam em Myanmar - Olhar Digital
Página Cinco: Valeu, Jiro! Criador da Coleção Vaga-Lume completa 60 anos junto aos livros - UOL
Cadê os vaga-lumes? Entenda por que o inseto está ficando raro no litoral de São Paulo - Diário do Litoral
Arte no Museu de Paranapiacaba apresenta Sarau Vaga-Lume - Diário de Ribeirão Pires
Sarau Vaga-Lume celebra vida e obra de Dona Francisca - Portal ABC do ABC
O encanto milenar e a importância dos vaga-lumes no mundo - Estado de Minas
Aranhas podem usar vaga-lumes machos como isca viva, imitando um “chamado de acasalamento” mortal - Brasil | National Geographic
Vaga Lume amplia acervo de bibliotecas comunitárias com novos livros em 2026 - Pretessências
Brilho dos vaga-lumes será atração em caminhada noturna na cidade dos bilionários em SC - NSC Total
Animal brilhoso, que era muito comum no Brasil, corre sério risco de extinção - Diário do Comércio
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- Registration and legal identity
- Receita Federal (Brazilian Federal Revenue)
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
- Supplementary verification
- GlobalGiving partner directory
Data freshness
What we don't know
Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact
Methodology
GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Vaga Lume Association
- What is Vaga Lume Association?
- Vaga Lume Association is a human services nonprofit organization based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We are Vaga Lume - a movement for equity through literacy in the heart of the Amazon. Our name means "firefly" in Portuguese, a symbol of light in the dark, just like the power of books in remote communities. We were founded in 2001 with a vision for a more equitable Brazil - a country where, regardless of a child's socioeconomic status, ethnic background, disability, or region, access to literary education is always within reach and no dream is too big. To bring this vision to life, we empower children in rural communities in the Brazilian Amazon through literacy and community, by fostering reading and operating community libraries as spaces for knowledge sharing. Over the past 23 years, we have constructed and maintained 97 community libraries throughout the region. Each one serves as a space where knowledge and culture are exchanged, always honoring the unique traditions and needs of each community. These libraries have benefitted more than 111,000 children, opening doors to new worlds and perspectives through reading, literacy, and respect for their own cultural diversity. But our mission goes far beyond the walls of our libraries. By expanding access to literacy, we help children in the Amazon understand cultures and customs different from their own, empower them to embrace their identity, and - most importantly - inspire them to dream bigger. Our work takes place in the Amazon, one of the most vital regions in the world - rich in cultural and environmental diversity, vast in territory, and home to millions. It spans 9 countries, includes 33 million inhabitants, and shelters 385 distinct Indigenous ethnic groups. Yet, it also faces deep challenges: one of the lowest Human Development Indexes in Brazil, and a population where 20% are functionally illiterate. We operate in 97 rural communities - including Indigenous, riverside, roadside, rural settlement, and quilombola (Afro-Brazilian) populations - across 22 municipalities in the Brazilian Legal Amazon.
- Where is Vaga Lume Association located?
- Headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- Is Vaga Lume Association trustworthy?
- Vaga Lume Association has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 26 out of 100 (Limited data available). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Vaga Lume Association's website?
- http://www.vagalume.org.br/en/
- Are donations to Vaga Lume Association tax-deductible?
- Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of Brazil under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.