Brazil

Section Three

How does an initiative like the Millennium Development Goals campaign, in particular Goal One (to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger), help improve the lives of children living on the streets of Brazil?

Firstly, the Millennium Development Goals campaign has increased awareness of the issues and problems facing the world’s poorest people, like the street children living in Recife. The more people are aware, the more people and organisations can help tackle global problems together like poverty and extreme hunger.

Secondly, countries like Brazil have introduced their own campaigns and targets to reduce poverty and extreme hunger, under the umbrella of the Millennium Development Goals. So although the campaign Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) is more geared towards rural communities, it does have a small impact on people living in poverty in the big cities like Recife.

In terms of people suffering from extreme hunger, those attending the workshops with Grupo Ruas e Pracas are provided with a small meal and snacks. In addition to this, mothers and fathers that take part in the family social work activities are provided with food baskets and parcels that include basic food and household items.

Another national initiative, aimed at people living in poverty in the bigger cities, is Bolsa escola e familie. Like Grupo Ruas e Pracas, it encourages regular school attendance (taking the children away from the streets), which is offered as a form of income to the poorest families.

In terms of actually helping to reduce poverty and extreme hunger (to meet the targets of Goal One), Grupo Ruas e Pracas does help to do this – not in material benefits (e.g. like providing meal vouchers, offering jobs etc) - but by intervening and influencing local governments on public strategies to help the poorest people. The project also helps to break the daily routine of living on the streets – and the risks and dangers that come with it.

3. Using the Millennium Development Goals section:

Which Millennium Development Goal most needs to be achieved to help these street children? How do you think the Millennium Development Goals campaign has helped these street children so far? What more do you think needs to be done?

 

 

 

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celebrating the end of the annual evaluation of the social work programme with families from the local community/ favela.

One of the many facets of Carnival in the state of Pernambuco are youngsters dressed as masked figures called Papangus.  In the country-side they spend many months preparing their costumes and eat traditional porridge before parading in the streets.

girls from the local community performing a traditional play (pastoril) at Christmas