Favelas
(shantytowns) in Brazil occupy the least suitable spaces, whether they are steep
unstable slopes, poorly drained areas, or unused land. In Rio de Janeiro,
the 600 + fevalas are particularly striking because they occupy the steep slopes
(indicated by the yellow arrow) over looking
some of the wealthiest residential areas (red arrow)
along the beaches (blue arrow). The
poor, representing 20 percent of the city's population, live close to the rich providing them with household services (maids,
walking dogs, drivers) and public services (selling drinks, sun lotions; renting
beach equipment). Different drug gangs control all the major fevalas and so they
are actually safe against petty crime, because the gangs don't want the police
around. Petty crime is common on the beaches, well beyond the fevalas! The
fevalas shown here are about 50 years old; hence, lots of physical improvements
-- water, sewer, electricity, NGO schools, shops -- have made by the residents.
Initially, these illegal settlements now sell "property rights" to each other.
Click on each picture for a larger view; and then click again to return to
this page.
The buildings across the valley is the American School where tuition is $1,000 or 2,500 Rs per month, while the minimum monthly wage is 300 Rs.
This $150,000 house lies across the street from the fevala; away from this area,
it would probably be worth three times more.