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"You must be the change you want to see in the world." (Gandhi)



Vietnam Veteran's Past Inspires Him to Reach out to Needy Brazilian Communities
By Ana Livia Coelho

A man from a poor family in rural Northern Indiana goes to Vietnam during the war’s worst years and sees devastation, poverty and violence. When he returns to America, traumatized by the war, he goes through three divorces and an aneurism that almost killed him. As the war in Iraq surfaces, bringing economical problems to the country, his entire life falls apart. He loses his house and his career. He has to start his life all over.

In spite of a difficult past, Phillip Wagner, the protagonist of this story, makes it clear that his main goal is to help others, especially the impoverished communities from Brazil.

“When I returned from overseas, I had this strong personal commitment to always be somehow engaged in something for the world,” said Wagner.

Wagner, a post-graduate student in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Indiana University and a freelance journalist, has been personally working with Brazilian communities since 1995. In 2002, he formally founded Rhythm of Hope in Brazil, a program that assists poor communities in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.

According to Wagner, Rhythm of Hope volunteers focus on developing relationships with other programs in Bahia to assist their efforts in strengthening the community. In working with these other programs, the volunteers are able to understand the projects and needs for them to be successful. By getting donations, raising awareness of the different programs in the community, and informing people of ways to give support to the efforts in Bahia, Rhythm of Hope gets the necessary financial, material, and volunteer assistance for the other programs to be as helpful as possible.

A Difficult Past

From growing up in an underprivileged family and suffering from polio, to living through the devastation and injustice he had to witness during the war, Wagner, a Vietnam veteran, has lived an intense and difficult life.

“My imagination was very suppressed. I had no conception that I would ever see the world,” said Wagner of his emotional childhood.

To this day, Wagner is still affected by his wartime memories and the atrocious tragedies.
“Oh...This song. I was in Vietnam when I heard it,” sighed an emotional Wagner after a long pause when the song played.

While he is still moved by his past, Wagner’s aims are to “reinvent” himself and to encourage people to help others. He claims that his efforts in helping underprivileged communities should not be seen as gratifying, but as something that should be done.

“I don’t do any of this because it makes me feel good. I do it because it needs to be done and there are not a whole lot of people doing this kind of stuff,” said Wagner.
Inspired to Help the Brazilian Community

Inspired to help the Brazilian Community

His work in Brazil started when Wagner, an instructor for Electronic Data Systems University at the time, was teaching classes on process and risk management in the country. During his time there, he wrote a story for the Sunday Travel Supplement in the Indianapolis Star. Its repercussions were so positive that a year later, Wagner was sent to Brazil to produce more stories on the country.

When in Brazil, Wagner discovered and was inspired by programs such as Arte Consciente, Axé, and Circo Picolinho that are aimed at rebuilding and strengthening the underprivileged communities of Brazil. Since then, Wagner has become more and more passionate about helping Brazil.

According to Paula Dias, a Brazilian student of anthropology and a fellow member of the Brazilian Association of Indiana University, Wagner’s work is inspiring and gratifying for Brazil.
“Being a Brazilian, I can say how important and needed it is to help these children to have a better future,” she said. “It’s good to know that Wagner is trying so hard to make people aware about Brazil and to bring students to help.”

Recently named an advisor for peace and unity of City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, Wagner’s passion inspires others. According to Wagner, Ram Podicheti, an Indiana University employee from India, has a plan to start a branch of Rhythm of Hope in India. Another student is also forming the same organization in Nepal.

“The world is not going to get better by trying to build democracies or foster regimes changes,” Wagner explained. “It will only get better when people start fostering humanity and start treating human beings the way they deserve to be treated.”


Listen to Phillip Wagner speak about his goals and ambitions