Associação de Moradores Bairro Horizonte

“Associação de Moradores Bairro Horizonte” (AMBH) is a non-profit organization born on 9th January, 2015 (when it replaced the previously established residents' council), based in Bairro Horizonte in the Penha de França administrative district of Lison, decreted like a neighbourhood of priority intervention as deemed by Lisbon’s City Hall. The nature and mission of the organization are to defend and to promote the interests of "Bairro Horizonte and the surrounding areas, supporting and developing educational, recreational, social, cultural and sporting initiatives. The aims are to represent residents from this neighbourhood, in collaboration with public and private entities, ensuring the necessary efforts for adequate responses to the safety of people and goods, environmental conditions, local infrastructure and public space, that enhances and guarantees community cohesion and quality of life in the neighbourhood, specifically to the many people in challenging conditions or that are designated as having fewer opportunities. There are many challenges but, together with our partners, we are dedicated to bringing positive social change and reducing situations of social exclusion, tensions between different cultures and/or religions, lack of community cohesion, disruptive and/or criminal behaviour, as well as juvenile delinquency, racism and xenophobia, unemployment, lack of education and motivation to study, parallel economies, territorial segregation as well as many different environmental and public health issues. Responding to the main needs and proposals of the community, we propose some study support and sports activities for children/young people to struggle against absenteeism/dropouts and low qualifications while also developing healthy lifestyles, prevention of risky behaviour and active participation / citinzeship. To reduce situations of isolation, especially among the seniors, we also provide social spaces and specific services for seniors: a day space with monitoring of the social situation, access to digital training (by monitor, peers, intergenerational) and giving them the possibility to choose activities of their interest, participating in intergenerational activities. Also, the pandemic gave visibility to exclusion and isolation, AMBH and partners provide responses through reporting cases, referrals, food support, among others. A digital space responds to the urgency of training for distance communication, and allows any household without internet access to, for example, communicate with family members, take online classes and receive equipments and for children to have better access to educational tools.