Brazilian Favela-Global Studies

Daily Life in a Favela

Everyday life for a resident of a Brazilian favela, or "favelados," contains copious amounts of crime and violence while the local police force much of the time offers minimal protection as well as creating many times more of a problem than before they even arrived on scene. Women and children are even more significantly worse off than many of the men due to high amounts of spousal and parental physical abuse in within their homes. Favela residents battle daily with theft, vandalism, muggings, rapes, gang fights, murders, and organized crime as well. In fact, the neighborhoods are so dangerous and violent that day and night, people are afraid to simply leave their homes and their children can’t even play outside most of the time due to the frequency of muggings and shootings that take place.

City of God

 

View Larger Map

Brazilian slums...

A favela is the word used for slum in Brazil. This term was first used in 1897 when soldiers during a conflict against the Canudos in the eastern province of Bahia, came to Brasil and were left homeless. The hill where they ended up was called the Favela Hill, because of the plant faveleira that grew there.  Also, another version says that the name is related to the semi-slaved women who were brought by the soldiers.

Modern favelas appeared in the 1970s when many people left rural areas of Brazil and moved to cities. Without finding a place to live, many people ended up in this places.

This establishments are built around the edge of the main city, so in a way, they are actually expanding the city. Since favelas have been created under different terms but with similar results, the term henrietta has become generally interchangeable with any impoverished areas.

The Brazilian Census of 2000 provided information about the cities with most favelas in Brazil.



Even though the number of people living in favelas has decrease, it is important to say that sometimes living in big cities or central areas, in a small and modest apartment, is cheaper than living in a favela. Also, another research showed that only 15% of Rio’s favelas residents say they would leave the hill. The same research showed that 97% of Rio’s favelas houses have TV, 94% have refrigerator, 59% DVD player, 55% mobile phone, 48% washing machine and 12% have a computer. Favelas can be found all over Brazil, but it’s in Rio de Janeiro where you can find the most and the biggest of them. The 20% of Rio de Janeiro’s population lives in the 750 favelas that exist there.

This kind of slums are commonly known for their violence, mostly because of the use of drugs. In this place, the business is run, commonly, by children between 12 and 15 years old. Every day is a constant fight against other drug dealers, policemen, etc.

Between 2005 and 2006 an interview was made to more than 270 children about their way of living. Sadly, 45 of these children died fighting in a drug war before the interview was finished.

On the other hand, there are a lot of nongovernmental organizations that are helping people in favelas.  For example, one of this NGOs project was to help people to make their own news, so that they could talk about the things important to this people. Their idea is to give different kinds of workshops to them. In addition, by doing this they could have the chance to have a decent job.

In the same way there are in Mexico the so called “lost cities”. It started in the 50s when millions of farmers came to the capital looking for better jobs, but there weren’t enough jobs for them. Not having a place to live they occupied empty lands illegally and built their houses with the things they found: plastic, clay bricks, etc. Unfortunatly, Mexico is not the exception in this kind of poverty.

We honestly feel that this kind of places are a good example of how human beigns can keep going and adapt themself for any kind of situation. Sadly, the government hasn't done something to change this people situation. Even though this are dangerous places, that's not the only thing going on. Lots of people in favelas have a normal life and fight to succeed.