Brazil
![Jacir José de Souza (right) and Pierlângela Nascimento da Cunha from the Makuxi and Wapixana tribes. Jacir is also founder of CAFOD partner the Indigenous Council of Roraima [Joelle Hernandez/CAFOD]](/var/storage/images/about-cafod/where-we-work/brazil/images/jacir-and-pierlangela-from-the-makuxi-and-wapixana-tribes/6602-4-eng-GB/jacir-and-pierlangela-from-the-makuxi-and-wapixana-tribes_1column50_12space_landscape.jpg)
The fifth largest and ninth-wealthiest country in the world, yet 54 million Brazilians live below the poverty line - the wealthiest 10% enjoying more of the national income than the poorest 50%
We have set up an Urban Livelihood Programme in São Paulo with local partners MDF (The Movimento de Defesa dos Favelado), APOIO (The Associacão de Auxilio Mutuo da Região Leste) and CCJ (The Centro Capacitacão da Juventude).
It pushes the government to provide good quality housing for people living in the "favelas" and tenements - which then, in turn, provides better access to education, work and health facilities, and ensures people know their rights.
Meanwhile, throughout the Amazon region, indigenous groups are fighting for their rights to land. Jacir José de Souza, from our partner CIR, says: "Our land is our Mother. It gives us a home, soil, fruit, vegetables, fish. Without our land we would starve, we would be reduced to steal for survival. This is why we defend our land.”
We trained indigenous communities in the Brazilian rainforest how to tell their own story on film and raise awareness about the issues they face with local decision makers |
 APOIO: Struggling for the right to a home In 2007, around 70 families occupied disused land in the south of Brazil’s biggest city Sao Paulo. Now the encampment - known as Olga Benário - is home to around 3,000 people |
 CIR: Fighting for the right to land After struggling for decades to secure land rights for his people, Jacir José de Souza thought victory had finally been achieved – only to find it could be turned into defeat instead |
In a country where 25,000 people are still living in conditions comparable to slavery Father Henri de Roziers works tirelessly to defend human rights and put a stop to this modern day aberration. |
 Changing young lives in urban Brazil Growing up in inner city communities in Brazil can be tough, so we support local organisations that work with youth leaders to develop communities of peace |
Your Parish can choose to follow a community in one of these six countries. Hear from local people, find out about their lives, and swap messages of support. |
![CAFOD Westminster's Tony Sheen with fellow Smiths fan Janaina Cristina da Silva, who is employed by CAFOD partner Apoio working in a night shelter for the homeless in Sao Paulo [CAFOD]](/var/storage/images/about-cafod/where-we-work/brazil/images/tony-sheen-with-fellow-smiths-fan-janaina-cristina-da-silva/116989-4-eng-GB/tony-sheen-with-fellow-smiths-fan-janaina-cristina-da-silva_0column75_nospace_landscape.jpg)
