Designing Safe and Resilient Streets in Recife

In 2022, the Streets for Kids program launched its first-ever Leadership Accelerator, bringing together 60 city leaders from 20 countries to strengthen their skills, share knowledge, and build a global network focused on creating safer streets for children. At the end of the program, GDCI invited teams to apply for a $20,000 seed grant and a year of technical assistance to help bring their visions to life. In April 2023, ten cities across four continents were selected: Abuja, Nigeria; Cuenca, Ecuador; Istanbul, Turkey; Leon, Mexico; Lima, Peru; Lusaka, Zambia; Recife, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Solo, Indonesia; Tyre, Lebanon.

Streets for Kids in Jordão, Recife

In Recife, the Streets for Kids project focused on Silva Jardim and 22 de Agosto streets in the Jordão neighborhood— a community where children face multiple challenges accessing safe and high-quality public spaces. Heavy rains, frequent flooding, and landslide risks often make their journey to school dangerous and unpredictable. The project directly benefited around 566 students aged 2 to 10 attending three nearby schools, as well as nearly 1,200 daily pedestrians who rely on these streets.

This transformation was made possible through a strong partnership between several city agencies:  the Recife Urban Transport and Transit Authority (CTTU), the Urban Maintenance and Cleaning Authority (Emlurb), the Urban Innovation Office (GIURB), as well as the Education Department, through the Executive Secretariat for Early Childhood, and the Environment Department.

Throughout the process, over 400 children, caregivers, school staff, and residents were engaged to co-create solutions that improve access to schools, support outdoor play and social connection, and set a precedent for future child-focused street transformations in Recife.

Streets as Spaces for Connection and Play

Informal neighborhoods like Jordão make up a significant portion of Recife’s urban fabric—covering 32% of the city’s area and housing 53% of its population. Usually on the outskirts of the city, these areas are often densely populated and underserved, lacking essential infrastructure such as sidewalks, parks, or safe places to walk and play. In these contexts, streets become the most important public space—but they are rarely designed with children in mind.

Recife has already taken steps to address this through its Praças da Infância (“Childhood Squares”) program, which has created over 13 dedicated play spaces throughout the city. Still, the need is widespread. A recent study by MapBiomas and Instituto Alana found that one in five Brazilian schools lack nearby plazas or parks—affecting 1.5 million students. This scarcity of public space limits opportunities for play, social interaction, and connection with nature—all essential to children’s healthy development and well-being. Of these schools, 78% are within 1 km of informal neighborhoods, where space for new public amenities is already limited. By reimagining streets as multifunctional spaces, cities can create safer, more inclusive environments for children to walk, play, and grow.

Designing Streets for Safety and Resilience

Nearly a quarter of Recife’s municipal schools are located in areas at risk of climate-related disasters such as flooding and landslides—hazards that can endanger lives, disrupt education, and prevent children from attending school. “As soon as it rained, we couldn’t get through here because [the street] turned into a waterfall,” recalled Rosinalva Monteiro, a school principal in Jose Manguba Sobrinho state school. “I got tired of hiring trucks and machines to close the holes so we could access the school.”

In response to these challenges, the Streets for Kids project in Jordão integrated climate resilience and child-friendly design into the streetscape. Key features included permeable paving, new drainage systems, shaded waiting areas for caregivers, and greenery to manage stormwater and improve comfort. An underused open space was transformed into a vibrant plaza with play structures and seating—creating a new hub for community life.

Altogether, 35,415 m² of public space was improved, with benches, trees, and playful elements woven throughout the redesigned streets. Traffic was calmed through raised crossings, narrowed lanes, and chicanes, reinforcing a safe 20 km/h environment. These upgrades not only enhanced safety and accessibility, but also encouraged walking and outdoor play—making daily routines more joyful and healthy for local children.

Building Toward Long-Term Change

While interim street transformations can spark important conversations and shift perspectives, lasting change requires permanent investment and multi-sector collaboration. After years of testing tactical interventions in partnership with GDCI and the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety, the city took the bold step of implementing a capital construction project in Jordão — solidifying its commitment to designing safer, healthier streets.

This success was made possible by strong political will and institutional collaboration. Mayor João Campos’s support helped bring multiple departments together with a shared vision. Agencies pooled resources, aligned priorities, and engaged the community—demonstrating how child-focused street design can become a catalyst for broader municipal cooperation.

As part of the project’s legacy, stakeholders in Recife have reflected on the experience to strengthen internal processes, improve cross-departmental coordination, and scale future interventions. The lessons learned will serve as a blueprint for expanding child-friendly public spaces across the city—turning streets into spaces of possibility for every child.

We’re incredibly proud to support the City of Recife and to witness the dedication of local champions who are transforming streets into safer, more livable spaces for all. Congratulations to the entire team for their inspiring work!