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Filed under: Lisa in Brazil - December 26th, 2005

Favelas - Slums

A few days ago, I found myself travelling into a favela because the family that I am living with have friends who live there. Once we got there, things quickly changed from paved roads and bare streets, to dirt roads, filled with people walking and children playing.

Since we drove into the favela, right away I noticed how the dirt roads were not maintained at all, and there were many rocks, and crevases, as well as garbage build up on the sides of the roads.

In favelas, those who live there do not have to pay for the land they use, but they are responsible for building their own homes. They must however pay for their electricity.

I had the chance to go into a house in the favela, which was really sad to me because there were 7 people living in this house, and there was a kitchen, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.

Since many people in favelas can´t afford cars, this is the reason the streets seem to fill up with people when you enter. Usually favelas have a location within walking distance for people to go shopping for both food and clothing.
If you do plan on going into a favela, be extra cautios about what you are wearing and what you have in your bags. The young innoscent looking children could be looking to steal from you. Jewelery is also a bad idea because it will attract unwanted attention.

I felt as though many people were looking at me, and not because I look like a gringa, but because in favelas, they usually know who lives there and who doesn´t. This alone is enough to attract attention. I would recommend if you are wanting to go inside a favela to get the right people to go with you. Some offer guides that have tours throughout the favelas, but some of the smaller ones don´t offer this service.

Overall I had a great experience going into the favela. It showed me another world, and made me understand a lot more about what some people go through. I would recommend the experience to everyone as long as you do it safely.