Nourishing to flourish: critical environmental education with children from the Barrosinho community in Aracaju (SE, Brazil)

Abstract

This article presents an account of a pedagogical intervention developed with children from the urban artisanal fishing community of Barrosinho, in Aracaju (SE, Brazil), addressing the problem of food insecurity and the absence of environmental education practices in non-formal spaces. This work stems from the question: how can critical environmental education practices contribute to strengthening food security and socio-environmental awareness in vulnerable urban communities? The action was part of the Project Planning in Environmental Education course, from the National Network Graduate Program for Environmental Science Teaching at the Federal University of Sergipe (PROFCIAMB/UFS) and aimed to articulate critical environmental education practices with the concepts of food security and composting. The methodology involved playful activities, group discussions, graphic expression, and the creation of composters with reusable materials. The results demonstrated the children's protagonism in the construction of ecological knowledge and in the critical reading of the territory. It can be concluded that experiences like this foster a sense of belonging and collective care and should be expanded as an educational strategy focused on sustainability and environmental justice.