With innovative, hands-on solutions to enhance public education and develop public leaders, Motriz works to create and implement more effective, inclusive, and diverse public policies and services. Our efforts focus on two key areas: Public Education and Public Leadership.
The Amazon region encompasses a vibrant tapestry of cultures, peoples, and biodiversity. These unique resources should shape the educational journey, yet the region currently suffers from the nation’s lowest educational performance, hindering sustainable development. Our mission is to help build sustainable futures by empowering local communities and youth through education. We work to improve educational outcomes, reduce inequalities, and promote the holistic development of students through context-driven education that values local knowledge. This approach fosters a stronger connection to the land and ancestral practices, enhances their sense of belonging, and inspires students to take an active role in the future of their region. So far, over 40,000 students have been positively impacted by policies and practices rooted in local traditions and wisdom.
At Motriz, we are dedicated to reversing the distressing fact that three out of ten Brazilian children struggle with basic reading and writing. We work tirelessly to ensure that children achieve literacy at the right age, equitably, by supporting public education systems throughout Brazil. We began this journey in Recife, where our literacy initiatives helped the city climb 15 places in the national ranking within just two years. Since then, we have expanded our practices across various regions, providing comprehensive support from policy design through implementation, alongside continuous teacher training. Together, we are transforming this reality.
Rethinking the 6th to 9th grade education is critical to address the specific needs of adolescents. Motriz supports this transformation by guiding departments of education and schools in fostering the holistic development of students. We collaborate on policies that ensure high-quality education, creating meaningful, adolescent-focused schools, whether at the municipal or state level, full-time or part-time. Our support has reached over 640,000 students across different school systems nationwide.
An adaptation of a successful Indian methodology, Teaching at the Right Level has been endorsed by organizations like J-PAL and Harvard and is recommended by the World Bank. This intensive program addresses significant learning gaps by focusing on core skills in Portuguese and Math through rapid intervention cycles. Implemented within school systems, it enables local governments to lead the development of educators and school leaders, fostering sustainable, independent growth. To date, we have impacted more than 11,000 students across 12 educational networks, with 70% of students advancing at least one learning level after approximately 90 hours of intervention.
At Motriz, Equity in Education is about embracing multiculturalism to create an inclusive and diverse learning environment. We aim to foster practices that ensure access to high-quality learning opportunities and support the holistic development of primary students’ potential. Our work actively shapes public education policies to ensure accessible, inclusive, and equitable education, with a focus on reducing inequalities stemming from discriminatory social dynamics. Throughout our journey, we have engaged and supported more than 10,000 educators in promoting ethnic-racial equity within education, championing the right to a dignified, sustainable life for all.
Click here to access the Anti-Racist Action Guide (portuguese version)
This program aims to support states and municipalities by fostering committed, engaged, and diverse leaders in strategic government roles to achieve impactful results for the general public. It develops strategic HR policies, focusing on talent attraction, pre-selection, performance management, leadership development, and engagement of public servants, with a focus on race and gender equity. To date, we’ve impacted over 1,500 leaders across 10 states and six capitals.
Designed to attract diverse talents to the public sector, this program offers participants a unique experience of learning, exchange, and impact. It connects high-potential young professionals eager for personal development and social impact with government bodies that need skilled individuals to strengthen their teams and drive transformation in Brazil. So far, approximately 1,000 trainees have been placed in partner governments.
Our work in this area is centered on two programs: Ubuntu and Líder +D. The Ubuntu program inspires and empowers Black public leaders, guiding them through a transformative journey focused on socio-emotional skills and people management. Líder +D trains public administrators to promote racial equity within Brazilian government institutions, fostering more inclusive and effective public policies. Over 250 Black leaders have completed our development programs.