Covid-19 Brazil: in Rio, a group of street vendors organizes a "solidarity breakfast"
In Brazil, the pandemic has increased extreme poverty.
In this country where more than 40% of the population lives on the informal economy, many Brazilians find themselves on the streets.
In Rio de Janeiro, a group of street vendors organizes a “solidarity breakfast” every Sunday morning.
AFP - MAURO PIMENTEL
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
In Brazil, the pandemic has increased extreme poverty.
In this country where more than 40% of the population lives on the informal economy, many Brazilians find themselves on the streets.
With the end of government emergency aid, the poorest do not even have enough to eat.
In Rio de Janeiro, a group of street vendors organizes a “
solidarity breakfast
” every Sunday morning.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Rio de Janeiro
,
Sarah Cozzolino
To get to the food stand, you have to take a long line, which turns around a corner.
Michael is a street vendor, but for a year, he earns almost nothing: “
This initiative does better than the government, better than the town hall.
What are they doing for those on the streets?
At least here I can have breakfast.
The mayor is only there to send a dumpster to take my mattress from the street.
"
Angela lived on recycling, but now the buildings have stopped taking out their trash.
From April, she will be able to start receiving
emergency aid again
.
But it is not the 40 euros from the government that will allow him to eat his hunger.
“
Five kilos of rice costs between 5 and 6 euros, a bottle of oil is 2 euros.
So explain to me: how do I feed my two children for a month with 38 euros?
"
An initiative that is attracting more and more people
On the other side of the stand, Isabel distributes the hot coffees.
With her two fabric masks that she has superimposed.
She fears the virus as much as poverty: “
Every Sunday, there are more people.
We were also in the process of saying that we would have to find a way to grow because that is no longer possible.
Today, we had already cut a quiche and we had to halve each portion because otherwise everyone would not have had to eat.
"
This street vendor notes that more and more people have found themselves homeless in recent months.
According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, poverty now affects a third of the continent's population.
A record level for twelve years.
►
To read: Covid-19 in Brazil: “derisory” aid and restrictions, the poorest caught by the throat
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Brazil
Poverty
Jair Bolsonaro
On the same subject
Brazil: mobilization of a collective of NGOs after the end of emergency aid to the most deprived
Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro cornered for his management of the coronavirus pandemic