Brazil


  • Population – 203,429,773
  • Infant Mortality Rate - 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Life Expectancy – 72.53 years
  • Population below poverty line - 26%
  • Year ChildFund entered Brazil – 1952

Quick Facts

  • The capital of Brazil is Brasília.
  • Brazil is approx. 121 times the size of Ireland. It is the largest country in South America, with nearly half of the continent’s area and people.
  • The GDP per capita in 2009 was R$ 12 688.00 which is approximately €5,680.
  • The population of Brazil is growing by approximately 1.3% annually.
  • 86% of the population in Brazil live in urban areas. Just over 1/3 of Brazil’s population is under 18 years old.
  • In the area of HIV / AIDS, the Brazilian response is globally recognized as one of the best. The national rate of HIV transmission from mother to baby fell more than half between 1993 and 2005 from 16%-8%.
  • Brazil’s main industries are: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber and iron ore. Brazil’s main types of agriculture are: Coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, and beef. Brazil’s main exports are: Transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear and coffee.

Priority Issues

  • Approximately 64% of poor children do not attend school during early childhood.
  • In the poorest regions such as North and Northeast, only 40% of children complete primary education. In more developed regions such as South and Southeast, this proportion is 70%.
  • Children and adolescents are particularly at risk of violence. The reporting systems and information on violence against children are weak; the data suggests that 96% of cases of physical violence and 64% of cases of sexual abuse against children under 6 years are committed by relatives.
  • In adolescents, the violence takes place outside the home. In the last two decades, the number of homicides of adolescents (15 to 19 years) increased by four times. Such homicides disproportionately affect black boys from poor families in urban areas.
  • Brazil accounts for more than half the total estimated cases of malaria in the region of the Americas. Transmission occurs mainly in the Amazon region.
  • Approximately 13.7% of the Brazilian population are alcohol dependant.
  • Child prostitution is a huge problem in Brazil.

ChildFund Intervention

ChildFund started assisting Brazilian children and their families in 1952. Currently, more than 72,000 children in 110 project locations are being served. Approximately 450 children in Brazil are sponsored through ChildFund Ireland.

Urbanisation in Brazil has been rapid, with 81% of Brazilians living in towns and cities. ChildFund affiliated projects are located mostly in slum settlements known as favelas. The favelas are crowded and unsanitary, and children who live in them do not have adequate access to education and health services.

ChildFund Brazil’s education component includes day care centres for children aged 2 to 6 whose parents work away from home. Children enrolled at the day care participate in development activities and take advantage of the safe, nurturing environment. Older children study at local public schools, but spend half the day at the project where they receive a nutritious meal, homework supervision and remedial classes when necessary.

ChildFund Brazil offers Dream Corners for enrolled children. Dream Corners are modified to meet the needs of the community, but normally act as small libraries, well stocked with culturally appropriate books and materials. Through Dream Corners, children who may not have had access to books and educational tools have the opportunity to experience all facets of learning and the world around them.

We train villagers in trades they can use to support their children, such as animal and fish husbandry, planting community vegetable and fruit gardens, production and commercialization of food, beekeeping, and professional education.  We even offer loans to allow people to start their own businesses. Many families in rural communities don’t have plumbing or access to clean communal water sources. ChildFund operates numerous sanitation and clean water initiatives. ChildFund Brazil promotes water resource management by constructing rooftop water catchments systems. The rooftop catchments collect water for household use, which helps stop the spread of hepatitis, cholera and other water-borne diseases.

Improper nutrition prevents some babies from reaching a healthy weight in childhood. ChildFund teaches families better nutrition; by going to the families home and demonstrating ways to improve their children’s nutrition, health and quality of life. Proper nutrition is even reinforced at our day-care centres. In addition to this our community health program provides families with training on disease prevention and reproductive health. In this training, parents learn about vaccines, prevention and control of infections, oral rehydration therapy, pregnancy, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and pre-natal exams.

 

Comments are closed.