favelas

Liege Camila Pistore Veras, Rafael Duckur, and Joana Luiza Mendes (left to right) load boxes of produce into a truck at a farm outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil. This produce, and more, will be distributed in favelas, poor urban neighborhoods where residents l

Health & Safety

PHOTOS: Brazilian Farmers Hatch A Plan To Send Healthy Food To The Favelas

7:35am May 24, 2020

by Patrícia Monteiro

A stay-at-home order has meant a loss of income for many of the working poor — and the fear that they won't be able to feed their families. Then a group of organic farmers had an idea.

Lucia Cabral peers through a bullet hole in her door in the Alemao favela complex. Like people everywhere, she checks her phone soon after she wakes up in the morning. In these favelas, she says, it's a matter of life or death.

Far From Olympics, Violence Rises In Rio's Poorest Neighborhoods

6:19pm August 15, 2016

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Gunfire and armed conflicts are a near-daily occurrence in some low-income neighborhoods. Residents in those favelas rely on the WhatsApp messaging service for guidance on where it's safe to travel.

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People walk past graffiti art in the Providencia community of Rio, a favela that dates back to 1897.

Health & Safety

Is The Risk Of Catching Zika Greater In Poor Neighborhoods?

7:00pm June 16, 2016

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

A statement of advice for visitors to the Olympics, from WHO, initially said to avoid impoverished areas to reduce the risk of Zika. Does research back it up?

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Residents look on as Brazilian military police officers patrol Mare, one of the largest complexes of favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 30. In one of the world's most violent countries, homicide rates are dropping — but only for whites.

World News

In Brazil, Race Is A Matter Of Life And Violent Death

12:13pm November 09, 2014

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

In 2012, 56,337 people were murdered in Brazil. But that figure hides a color-coded truth: Homicide rates are actually way down — if you're white. If you're black? Murder rates are up 40 percent.

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Robert Snyder takes a break at Baia de Guanabara, Brazil's second largest bay.

Health & Safety

Volunteer Recap: Why Wearing The Right Shoes In Rio Matters

4:06pm October 28, 2014

by Linda Poon

When public health student Robert Snyder visited Rio de Janeiro last summer to do volunteer work, he learned the hard way that Birkenstock clogs are not a wise footwear choice.

The small, hillside community of Babilonia, situated above the Leme and Copacabana neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, has ocean views.

World News

Once Unsafe, Rio's Shantytowns See Rapid Gentrification

5:38pm June 10, 2013

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

First came the day trips for foreigner tourists to the shantytowns. Now, young Westerners are living in formerly no-go areas — with yoga classes and sushi restaurants following. Business is booming in Rio de Janeiro's favelas, but some residents complain they're being priced out of the market.

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