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Tracing the Recife Poverty Line: Understanding Poverty in the Favelas of Recife

Recife poverty has taken its toll on the South American nation of Brazil which is one of the most populous countries in the world and the tenth largest economy in the world. Ironically, it is also home to almost 44 million people living in Recife poverty. In the capital city of Recife, located in the northeastern province of Pernambuco, majority of its two million populations continue to live in difficult economic situation. To them, their everyday life is a continuing battle for survival. The Recife poverty situation continues to even worsen with the increasing number of families from the rural parts of Brazil who continue to flock to Recife in hope for employment and a better life but only to be disappointed and find themselves in an even worst situation.

The Recife poverty situation continues to become more multifaceted. Urban congestion in the city slums have contributed to the rise of street crimes and violence as well as social problems such as alcoholism, prostitution, marijuana and other forms of drug abuse, HIV-AIDS infections and other sexually transmitted infections, domestic violence, abuse against children and women and high illiteracy. Despite the many efforts of the present Brazilian government to bridge these economic inequalities with social alleviation projects, the high level of Recife poverty remains to be a matter of fact for the majority of the city population who find themselves in despicable situations of poor education, the lack of health and sanitation services, hunger and malnutrition, inadequate housing and other indicators of a poor quality of life.

But the both the Brazilian government and the local authorities of Recife are not taking the problem of poverty sitting down. With its many sustainable development programs, the government continues to resolve these social problems and widen the access of the urban poor to human benefits and services. Employment is also a major concern in many communities in Recife and alleviation programs such as entrepreneurships and education and other social investment projects are being undertaken in order to reduce the number of families living below poverty levels and eradicate social inequalities.

A concrete picture of Recife poverty can be witnessed in the shantytowns or favelas that dot many parts of the city. Over half of Brazil’s poor live in these urban slum areas which do not have access to potable water, garbage collection, proper sewerage systems and electricity. Most families living in the favelas have completed less than four years of primary education, worsening further their feeling of powerlessness and hopelessness as well as discrimination and social exclusion in the face of growing Recife poverty.

It have been over one hundred years since poverty was abolished in Brazil, but millions of Brazilians especially in urban areas like Recife continue to live the perilous and destitute lives of their ancestors.

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