Meet Dona Maria Benvinda Silva and her family!

Francisco Vieira da Silva (nicknamed Dodô) is the son of Dona Maria Benvinda Silva. He was born on August 1st, 2008. Dodô is an exceptional child who needs daily attention; a few years ago, he couldn't walk. He was born with mental problems due to Microcephaly. Microcephaly is a neurological disorder in which the skull's circumference and brain size are smaller than expected for babies of the same size and age. Microcephaly is a congenital disability. Nowadays, with the help of many people in his life, Dodô can walk and even talk, but Dodô still struggles daily. Dodô is not the only one in his family with the same condition. This documentary asks why so many children around the same area of the Vale do Jequitinhonha show signs of the same neurological disorder. 

Laureana Araújo silva sitting next to Dodô in the photo is the daughter of Maria and has the same condition as her brother. Their family have great financial difficulty, which makes treatment and purchasing food very difficult and sometimes, impossible. The art program allows Dodô and Laureana to expand mentally and grow socially.

​