BRASILIA, Brasil — Named for a thorny bush from the desert regions of the Brazilian interior, favelas were originally classified as areas where groups of people inhabit land illegally in shoddy structures made of wood or brick. These areas are now considered slums in Brazil.
Favelas attracted rural migrant workers from the as Brazil’s industry expanded. With no place to go, lower class Brazilians accumulated in uninhabited – yet often privately owned – plots of land around the edges of the city. Today, these communities are the source of much of Brazil’s organized crime, which is largely centered around narcotics.
Despite violence and relatively low income, favelas are steadily growing away from their reputation as slums. Recent government and private efforts have made a significant difference in the lifestyles of favela dwellers, and promise continued progress.
Bolsa Familia
In 2003, President Lula de Silva enacted a radical policy: Bolsa Familia. This measure transferred cash to poor families if they kept their children in school and attended health care offices. Although initially seen as foolish, the results of this policy have been impressive.
More than 10 million people emerged from extreme poverty between 2003 and 2013. Education has also become more widely available. According to The World Bank, the probability of an adolescent girl attending school increased by 21 percent due to this initiative. Perhaps most astounding is that such amazing success comes from only 0.6 percent of GDP. In contrast, Brazil had formerly spent 22 percent of its GDP on its health and education sectors with much less success.
Brazilian Institute for Innovation and Social Health Care (IBISS)
Originating in the Netherlands, the Brazilian Institute for Innovation and Social Health Care, or IBISS, fights to address the striking inequalities in slums in Brazil. While it is the seventh richest country in the world, around five percent of Brazil’s population lives on less that $2 a day. Currently, 340 IBISS staffers work in 64 favelas.
IBISS hopes to reduce violent crime and disease by making education and health care more accessible. In addition, IBISS has organized multiple community and sports initiatives in favelas to promote peaceful activities. One such project, Soldiers Never More, has helped more than 4,300 children leave the gang lifestyle through counseling and healthy recreational activities. Some of these former gangsters have even devoted their time to helping other children reform.
Pacifying Police Units (UPP)
After years of ineffective law enforcement in favelas, Brazil decided to take on the root of the problem. Since 2008, Pacifying Police Units (UPP) have been entering the slums in Brazil to apprehend drug lords and dismantle the narcotics trade. So far, at least 30 favelas have been pacified.
Initially, residents of favelas were unsure of police interference due to a complicated history with law enforcement. However, the mobilization of police units is only the preliminary step of a larger goal. Organized crime often made it difficult for government funding to reach the people that needed it. With the removal of these gangs, many favelas have been provided social services like schools, transportation and even trash collection.
The favelas of Rio now have access to 150 more schools. In Complexo do Alemao, the government funded and built a cable car system allowing for quick transport to the city center and easier access to legitimate employment. These two factors, along with the removal of the drug market, has opened up favela economies, allowing for unprecedented growth.
The New Middle Class
The BBC reports that most slums in Brazil now have access to running water, and about 99 percent of residents have access to electricity. Some families even have wireless internet access. Homes that were once made of flimsy wood are now constructed with brick. The average monthly income hovers around $240, but recent reports indicate that a majority of favela residents can now be considered part of the Brazilian middle class.
The innovative approaches made by the government and private institutions have made a significant difference in the lives of favela dwellers. These efforts are the result of a little funding and a lot of creative thinking. To foster this continued advancement, Brazil has formed the Brazil Learning Initiative for a World Without Poverty to continue researching and implementing effective social policy and to teach other policymakers about Brazil’s successes.
– Emiliano Perez
Photo: Flickr