Rio attacks poverty

Hi all,

This Saturday the government of Rio de Janeiro state (the state in which the city of Rio lies is also called Rio de Janeiro) launches the Renda Melhor (Better Income) program. The ambitious three-year, billion-real (US$638 million) program is intended to eradicate extreme poverty in RJ.

340,000 families will benefit from the program. To qualify, the income must be less than 100 reals (US$64) per person per month. The program foresees giving between 30 to 300 reals per family to get them above this mark. In addition, the families will continue to receive the “bolsa familia” (family bag), which consists of basic groceries.

Beyond simply giving money to the families, the program aims to foster education among the teenagers aged 15-17 in these families. Families could potentially receive significant sums – up to 3,100 reals – at the end of the three years if the teenagers satisfy certain requirements.

The concept is a good one. There is great pressure on the youths in the poorest families to leave school to work. The Renda Melhor program is intended to alleviate to a modest degree the immediate financial pressure, and dangle a substantial carrot before the families – 3,100 reals is a ton of money if you make perhaps 500 per month.

The timing of the program (it runs until 2014, the year in which Brazil hosts the World Cup games) could make the more cynical wonder if it isn’t more politically than socially motivated. Still, if the end is just, who cares what the motive is?

I am skeptical as to what the long-term benefits will be. The Head Start program in the US was well-intentioned – and an utter failure. No lasting gains were achieved once the participants exited the program.

However, there are many many poor here in Brazil who could benefit from a hand up and some I expect will take advantage of the opportunity that they’ve never had until now. Among my students (I teach English) are several who are now middle or upper-middle class, but who grew up extremely poor. They all advanced through disciplined study, a number of them in the military academies, which are quite rigorous.

Brazilians do see the value of an education – more so than many American students these days. Many poor here have had little choice but to leave school to work. Perhaps the Renda Melhor program will work. Time will tell. But it’s a noble experiment, and perhaps a sign that Brazil is seriously trying to address the disparities in income that have always characterized its society.

Até mais,

John

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Share  Print This Post