In the sunny coastal city of Fortaleza, Brazil—where the sun shines nearly 350 days a year—Maria Victoria Pessoa saw more than just beautiful beaches. She saw a community struggling with pollution, fossil fuel dependency, and missed opportunities for a cleaner future.
Through her Season of Solutions campaign, Go Solar!, Maria set out to change that.
The mission? To raise awareness about the power of solar energy as a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels—and to empower her community to take ownership of that transition.
What started as a plan for educational sessions quickly grew into a dynamic, grassroots campaign. Over just two months, Maria and her team hosted educational sessions on solar energy, a hands-on solar workshop, where community members explored how solar systems work, clean-up events that doubled as awareness engagements, community meetings promoting sustainability and shared action and 2 educational leaflets designed to keep the learning going long after the sessions ended.
They even joined World Digital Clean-Up Day, helping spark conversations around the often-overlooked environmental impact of our digital lives. Social media engagement surged as more community members became curious about solar solutions—and inspired to act.
“I live in a coastal city with sun almost all year round and a lot of wind,” said Maria. “We have incredible potential to use clean energy. The lasting impact of this project is the knowledge people now have—that even small actions, like clean-ups or using a reusable cup, can help build a healthier, more sustainable community.”
This is what Season of Solutions is all about: equipping young changemakers with the tools and support to launch real, local climate solutions that empower entire communities.