When are the two minibuses of the association Action for Citizenship Arriving in the center of Lapa district Rio de Janeiro, Dozens of people wait in a long queue for volunteers to unload today’s meals. Before opening the vehicle doors, Simone LoretoOne of the volunteers warns those present: “We will only distribute one portion of food per person. If your family and friends cannot come, they will not receive their rations For them.”
One of the first to receive a report card Thalia, a trans woman who usually goes to this part of town every Friday the organization distributes. “I’ve been coming here for over a year and a half. I had a violent argument with my family and fell on the street. Now I’m getting help. 600 reals per month [unos 120 euros] Only from the Brazilian Aid program not enough to live. “Without the help of such organizations, it would be much more difficult for us to eat every day.” lives on the street Along with other trans people, they are still one of the most vulnerable groups in the country due to the social stigma they carry.
In less than five minutes, volunteers have already distributed it. 100 servings He said they are preparing for today. “never enough“, sign joy limaOne of the workers of Ação pela Cidadania, about 30 people, leaves the line before they can find anything to eat. Lima tells alarming increase in cases where people homelessness Since the arrival of the pandemic that hit Brazil hard and brought millions of people who had survived until then daily work in the informal sector.
More than 30 million hungry
The problem of hunger has begun to occupy much of the public debate in recent months, especially during the October 30 election campaign that the current president will face. Jair Bolsonarowith the former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. According to the data of the PENSSAN Network, which includes various non-governmental organizations, 33 million people in Brazil are starving, just eight years after former president Dilma Rousseff declared that the UN had eliminated the situation in the country during her tenure.
Managing Director of Ação pela Cidadania, Rodrigo Kiko AfonsoBrazil at that time global example in the fight against hunger. “By 2014, delegations from around the world came to find out what policies have lifted so many people out of extreme poverty. As of 2016, with the advent of the Government. [Michel] Fear has been an increase investment in agribusiness at the expense of small producers. This situation produced generalized price increase food,” Afonso explains.
Changes in social policies have condemned millions of people to extreme poverty. “Programs like Brazilian Aid have been frozen for years and the minimum wage has been stopped from updating on inflation and the country’s GDP. In addition, Bolsonaro’s government has committed itself to disbanding the government. Outreach Reference Centers (CRAS)was responsible for seeking out the most needy people and helping them access the social support available.” For Afonso, the problem of hunger responds to obvious reasons: “This is a political decision. “When you decide not to invest in food security and eliminate income transfer policies and support for the poorest families, hunger sets in,” he says.
thousand servings per day
In the kitchen of Ação pela Cidadania, twenty workers prepare today’s menu: chicken legs, rice, black beans, potatoes and a piece of fruit. in total they will receive 1,000 servingsbetween the lunch and dinner shifts. It is a job they have been carrying out for a little over a year, together with dozens of social organizations in the city and under the coordination of municipalities. Licia Brand. “Most people who get our report card only eat once a day, so cooking is important. high nutritional value“, says the kitchen chef, who admitted that they found him unable to meet high demand.
Marca’s eyes water when she thinks about the consequences of a war. inefficient public administration. “We do not agree with the direction the government is taking on the problem of hunger. We are one of the main food exporters and we have a segment of the population that cannot eat every day. left the hunger map and returned dark indicators due to a lack of political interest. If the federal government itself does not invest and make public policies, who will?