Aldeia Inclusiva

Aldeia Inclusiva is a social solidarity association founded in Monção, Portugal, by Françoise Hanoul, mother of a young man with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Motivated by the lack of adequate social responses for people with disabilities in the region, she acquired approximately 3.5 hectares of land in the parish of Badim, at Rio Covo, to develop an inclusive village project. The association's mission is to help people whose development has been affected, and who require special care and support, to define and achieve their life goals — focusing on their strengths rather than their limitations. The vision is to create a familiar, rural and pedagogical environment where residents can find their own path, guided by a biopsychosocial approach that values individual biographies, skills, interests and capacities. The project responds to a documented gap in social care services for people with disabilities aged 18 and over in the Monção area, where waiting lists for residential and occupational support have grown steadily. Aldeia Inclusiva aims to build a residence for atypical youth alongside an alternative school, integrating agricultural activities such as a pedagogical farm and organic blueberry cultivation, fostering social inclusion, community connection and professional integration. Through summer camps for younger participants, community walks, and cultural events like screenings at the Cineteatro João Verde, the association actively engages the local community of Monção. It is currently pursuing recognition as a Private Institution of Social Solidarity (IPSS) with public utility status, ensuring transparency and access to its administrative and financial information.