how Mangueira transformed waste oil into quality of life

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The name Omìayê sums up the concept of the project. The word combines terms from Yoruba, an African language with a strong influence on Brazilian culture: omì means water, and ayê, earth, symbolizing the link between these two elements. Based on this idea, the project combines circular ecological sanitation, environmental education and community leadership as a response to the structural challenges of the territory, relying on social technology, local training and scientific monitoring.

The proposal functions as a cycle that begins and ends within Mangueira. Used oils, donated by residents themselves, are reused in the ecofactory and returned to homes in the form of cleaning products distributed free of charge. All production is carried out by women from the community, responsible for reusing waste and manufacturing the products. In total, the initiative has already generated ten direct jobs in the region.

Since the start of the operation, the results have made it possible to measure the environmental impact of the initiative. Until December 15, 2025, Omìayê has also produced 75 thousand liters of microorganisms, capable of treating up to 150 million liters of wastewater. During the same period, 3,200 liters of used cooking oil were collected, preventing the pollution of more than 80 million liters of water. The accumulated production amounts to approximately three tons of Omì ecological soap — with the potential to treat up to 500 thousand liters of wastewater — and 500 liters of detergent, which have already contributed to the treatment of approximately 50 thousand liters of wastewater.

For those who work at Omìayê, the project is built on a daily basis. Mariana Lousada, lab assistant, says she learned about the initiative through family members and felt motivated by the direct impact on the community.

— Before knowing this whole process, the oil was poured down the drain or even into the toilet. Today it means a lot. I see the difference this project has made in our community and I receive a lot of praise — says Mariana. — My routine is calm and fun. I learned several things, including how to feed and care for bacteria to help with the community’s sewage system.

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A similar trajectory is that of Dani Lucas, who previously worked as a manicurist and now works as a production assistant. She says she discovered Omìayê thanks to the Meninas e Mulheres do Morro project, developed in Mangueira, and felt motivated by the opportunity to learn a new activity.

— Before, oil could be thrown down the drain. Today, the community already knows that there is an eco-factory where they can deliver this oil for reuse, says Dani. — My routine at the eco-factory is wonderful. I have learned and continue to learn a lot. I love what I do.

Products made in Omìayê are distributed free of charge to around 1,500 families in Mangueira. For those involved in production, this direct feedback has symbolic and practical weight.

— I feel satisfaction, pride and gratitude knowing that the products are reaching the homes of other families. It is gratifying to realize that something done with care can reduce expenses, make daily life easier and strengthen bonds of solidarity, says Mariana.

The operation of the eco-factory consists of sieving, filtering and mixing the oil with microorganisms in special boilers, according to a fixed formulation. The difference lies in the environmental technology integrated into the process, developed in partnership with the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF).

The scientific basis of the project is bioremediation, a technique that uses microorganisms harmless to human health to naturally treat wastewater, thereby helping to degrade organic matter. These micro-organisms continue to act even after the use of soap and detergent, thus continually reducing the pollutant load. The partnership with the university guarantees technical monitoring and scientific validation of the results, consolidating Omìayê as a structured social technology with replication potential.

According to Gabriel dos Santos Pizoeiro, director of the Instituto Singular, Omìayê was born from the need to make sanitation a concrete subject in the daily life of the favela.

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— Talking about sanitation in favelas often becomes an abstract conversation. Everyone knows it’s serious, but the solution seems far away. We have designed a response that fits into everyday life, with a real technical difference: bioremediation using living micro-organisms micro-encapsulated inside the soap, he explains.

With community participation, the project aims for expansion and public policy

Gabriel dos Santos Pizoeiro explains that, “simply put”, Omì eco-soap is not just a simple cleaning product.

— It is a vehicle for microorganisms which, when used, reach the wastewater flow and contribute to degrading organic matter, — he teaches.

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The choice of Mangueira took into account the health deficit and the strength of community organization.

— Mangueira brings together these two elements and maintains a partnership with the Associação Meninas e Mulheres do Morro, an NGO active in the territory for more than 30 years. This established relationship was key to taking the next step with consistency, Pizoeiro says.

From the beginning, the community participates in the entire chain, from the collection of oil to the final use of the product.

— Omìayê’s logic depends on routine, confidence and scale. The cycle closes when the product returns to the families. Home use is the ideal time to apply bioremediation, he explains.

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In addition to the environmental dimension, the project has a direct impact on the lives of the women who work at the eco-factory, as Mariana Lousada assesses:

— Working on a project that generates income and takes care of the environment combines survival, awareness and social transformation. It strengthens the local economy, promotes autonomy and creates a sense of belonging.

Dani Lucas says the project represents opportunity, dignity and recognition.

— Here, we don’t just work, we are seen, valued and have the chance to build our autonomy and dream of a better future — he says.

The change in perception is already being felt in Mangueira’s daily life.

— People stop in the street to praise, especially the treatment of wastewater and the reduction of odors and blockages, says Mariana.

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For the Instituto Singular, Omìayê’s experience opens paths for the future. The aim is to expand operations within Mangueira itself, reaching other sites.

— Our ideal future is to be able to expand our operations, penetrate new communities and transform the project into public policy. We must go where traditional sanitation cannot reach. To achieve this, new partnerships with public and private entities are essential, Pizoeiro says. — The favela is no longer just affected by the problem and becomes an integral part of the response, with method, technique and community governance.

Currently, most of the Instituto Singular’s resources come from partnerships with public entities, through calls, notices and tenders. The Omìayê eco-factory, however, operates exclusively with private resources and does not yet have direct public partnerships to manage the project.