Cerro Rico

Why do people travel? Personally, I travel to see different landscapes, absorb local culture, photograph natural phenomena, hike beautiful mountains, and eat exotic foreign food. I think many people are in the same boat.

Recently, both here in Brazil, and on vacation in Bolivia, I was introduced to the concept of poverty tourism, and I have really been grappling with the idea. Poverty tourism occurs when individuals deliberately patronize areas of low economic ability motivated by curiosity and the desire for adventure.

Potosí is a city in Bolivia which boasts to be the highest (altitude-wise) in the world. Sitting at approximately 13,420 feet, the only thing towering above the city is the mountain referred to as Cerro Rico. In its heyday, Cerro Rico bestowed great importance on the city by providing wealth from an abundance of silver ores which, by this time, will have been depleted. Once, one of the wealthiest cities in the world, Potosí is now greatly depressed. Aside from offering spectacular Spanish influenced architecture, one of the main tourist attractions in Potosí is to actually visit the mines which are surprisingly still in use.

Although many tourists claim this experience as one of their trip highlights, I chose to sit this one out. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of paying money to a tour operator to visit hoards of impoverished young men working long hours in a dark, damp, dangerous, unhealthy, and a really desperate work environment. The idea never sat right with me.

Similarly, before I left Rio, I had the opportunity to go on a guided tour on the favela Rocinha. I have been to this favela several times, but have never been on a professional tour (probably owing to a similar inner complex concerning poverty tourism). In any event, during the World Urban Forum, I met a very friendly tour guide and he invited me along. So, I gave it a shot.

Our guide was knowledgeable about his neighborhood and even welcomed tourists into his home to show off the view. However, even though he suggested that there was more to favela life than drug trafficking (of course!), this aspect was sadly all we saw. Our guide also mentioned that a certain percent of his proceeds went to fund an art project, but we never even saw it!

I was left wondering if this art project existed, and left with an unshakable and profound distaste of bourgeois insensitivity and ignorance after witnessing countless clashes and knowledge wars between our tour guide and his patrons.

Sex and violence sells. Tourists crave danger and the extraordinary (and maybe even to learn something new). I totally get it. But my problem with poverty tourism is that voyeurism adventure simply serves to exploit the living and working conditions of others. Meanwhile, the money generated by these poverty tours only find its way back into the hands of those running the tourism infrastructure e.g the tour operators, hotels, and restaurants.

What do you think?

Jamie Worms is currently a volunteer for Catalytic Communities in Rio de Janeiro. For more about the ethics of poverty tourism, check out the post “Favela Tourism: Harmful or Helpful?”

The theme of this week-long event is called “Right to the City: Uniting the Divided City.” The idea is that every individual is entitled to access the same cultural, economic, environmental, and civic liberties as everyone else. By discussing the future of the urban world, Right to the City can provide a starting point for the construction of a new paradigm in which development does not repeat the same mistakes or provide the same worthlessness illusions of previous models.

This week, I will take you inside the WUF and relate some of the dialogues with representatives, thematic roundtables, as well as networking and training events. I am particularly excited to discuss and network with global experts in urban and environmental policy and design and housing management. I am such a nerd.

Today’s events began as I stood in line for almost two hours while 21,000 people registered for the event, receiving a bag, program, and free metro pass to be used throughout the week. Once inside the WUF, I was able to join one full session titled “Slum Improvement, a Development Opportunity” where heads of international corporations, academics, as well as favela entrepreneurs and residents gathered in the same room. So cool!

The resulting dialogue was great, but I can’t help but feeling frustrated. The panel talked about the problems with slum upgrading, of which there are many, and they decided that simply writing policy is not sufficient. In order to implement slum upgrading and urbanization processes, there must be capacity building and participation by the slum residents. I could not agree more! However, I am simultaneously discouraged that although everyone was in agreement about the need for dialogue, communication, and exercising the right to voice opinions, this luxury is not always offered as an option.

Ultimately, the question becomes, how can we encourage participation in the process of upgrading, sharing information, and modernizing slums in a sustainable fashion?

Jamie Worms is currently a volunteer for Catalytic Communities in Rio de Janeiro. For more about life in Brazil, check out her other posts.

To quote a great movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy: “It was the most useful thing the gods had ever given them, a real labor-saving device. But the gods had been careless. They had sent only one. And now, for the first time in their lives, here was a thing that could not be shared because there was only one of it. Suddenly, everybody needed it most of the time. A thing they had never needed before became a necessity.  And unfamiliar emotions began to stir…anger, jealousy, hate and violence …”

Did I mention my sister and I fought over the computer? Savagely. Something needed to be done. My mother proposed we take turns. One hour of work, and then switch. Seemed like a novel idea. Until one day, I desperately needed to type a paper for school, and my sister sat there on the computer, playing Arconoid and Oregon Trail.

That’s not the point. The point is that work should take priority over play, right? This hour for an hour thing had not been thought out well enough. The fighting ensued…

In any event, I bring up this story to highlight a recent conundrum. Just last week, I was just about to leave on a trip with a friend. I knew I would have limited access to internet, so I jumped on the computer one last time. My name is Jamie and I am an addict. In my last five minutes with a computer, I didn’t know what to check first.

So as to not annoy my friend or delay our trip, I decided I should only check the essentials.  And then I realized. Everything had somehow become essential. I NEEDED to check Facebook, for work, although it may not have seemed like that to my friend. (At least I wasn’t playing Farmville.*)

As there are so many ways to connect and relate to others these days, I often question the proper tactic. Call, write, text, chat, Facebook, Skype, blog; share a map, pictures, calendar, or a document, etc…The list goes on and on.

In the next few months my organization, Catalytic Communities, will offer social media training to community leaders being displaced, or threatened to be displaced, by the Olympics here in Rio. Our goal is technology training, unification, and thought dispersal. In deciding what is most essential for me, I also wonder what will be most essential for them.

What are the best social media and technology devices out there to help them get their ideas, opinions, and voices heard?

*I have never, EVER played Farmville.

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About two hundred men, women, and children —representatives from several communities — gathered in front of City Hall with t-shirts, signs, protest songs, and elected speakers who took their turn in front of the megaphone.

Why? The City Department of Housing has officially announced that 119 entire favela communities, totaling at least 12,196 homes, will be removed by 2012. The city cites reasons of “risk” to justify their removal. According to the officials, “risk” means that these communities exist in places prone to flooding, landslides, or overall need for environmental protection.

However, not all of the communities threatened with removal are at risk. One such community is Vila Autódromo, whose only crime is existing in the very location where the city plans to build the Olympic Training and Media Centers. People do not want to go!

The argument is sound. If there is no environmental risk and if the community is safe and law abiding, the residents feel as if the city is simply cleaning up their city to make way for international tourists who are expected to flock in record numbers for the Olympic Games and World Cup. Residents feel like the city is once again trying to displace and exploit the voiceless poor because their houses aren’t pretty. Instead of helping them upgrade, the city wants them gone.

After years, and in some cases decades, of residence in these locations, where are they expected to go? One protest sign asked just that. Other signs read:

“There is so much vacant space is Rio, why displace us?”

“We’re asking for respect!”

“Say no to removal, Cariocas against social segregation!”

“Removal is a social crime!”

“We’re Rio’s chance to show that we have serious policy — Urbanization”

“Why do our news media give voice to the City and not the Community?”

Despite the peaceful and very orderly protest, City Hall closed its gates which, apparently, are always open to the public. In fact, I had walked through those very gates on my way to the protest just a few hours earlier.

In the end, a small handful of community leaders and journalists whose names were on a list were allowed past the gates of city hall to talk with the city officials. I personally hope for successful negotiations.

Jamie Worms is currently a volunteer with Catalytic Communities and Calle. To learn more about favelas and life in Rio de Janeiro, check out some of Jamie’s past posts.

However, I recently received an e-mail saying, “I’m still a bit nervous about traveling through Brazil. Is it really that bad?”

Questions like this absolutely kill me! UGH! Am I overreacting? Okay, maybe slightly. But hear me out. It’s insulting, at least to me, to hear people say: I’m afraid to visit you, your town, or your neighborhood because I think it’s unsafe. I want to respond, “Well, clearly, I (and about a million other people, have managed just fine). But, if you’re afraid, okay. I respect your feelings.”

I’m sure the media doesn’t help. But maybe this will.

When you do travel,  here are the things you need to know in order to minimize your vulnerability and maximize your safety anywhere in the world:

1. When in Rome… Blend! When people know you don’t belong, they may try to take advantage of you. Plain and simple. Don’t wear expensive jewelry. If you’re speaking a language that is not the native one, that’s okay, but everyone will know you’re a foreigner. Don’t try to stand out in any way to make yourself a target.

2. Got a question? Ask. It’s arrogant to assume people speak your language; do your best to ask in the native tongue. Not to mention, you’re always received better when people see you’re trying. People LOVE talking about themselves, their city, and neighborhood. If they don’t know the answer, they will find someone who does. Guaranteed.

3. Stop, Look, and Listen. Always be aware and conscious. Know where you are and who is around you. When you’re walking, glance back every so often. If there aren’t people around, jump in a cab or catch a bus. If you’re lost and want to look at a map, hop inside a store.

4. Money, Money, Money. MONEY! Keep your valuables hidden. When they are showing, do your best to secure them. Carry an extra $50.00 somewhere outside of your wallet in case the worst should happen.

5. If the worst should happen… It sucks, but it can happen anywhere. Being robbed in a foreign city is just as probable as being robbed in your own city (unless you fail to blend. See Tip #1 above). Remember that it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If your attacker is on drugs, he won’t be able to reason. Give them what they want and you’ll walk away with a story.

Boa viagem!

Construction in the Northeast

What I cannot accept, however, is part of the 2009-2012 Strategic Plan proposed by the administration of Mayor Eduardo Paes that calls for the reduction of 1.6 million square meters currently occupied by favelas. Equivalent in size to two Rocinhas (the largest favela in Rio), 1.6 million square meters is approximately 3.5% of favela area in Rio. In order to reach the goal in this strategic plan, a portion of favela Tabajaras containing 500 families is already on the chopping block.

To alleviate public sentiment concerning these removals, the Federal Government is investing approximately R$ 6 billion (only 4 billion USD) for the construction of new homes through the Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House My Life) project.

The Minha Casa Minha Vida project seems great as it proposes to build between 400,000 and one million houses throughout Brazil for those earning a salary under minimum wage. Hoping to alleviate part of the huge housing deficit in Brazil, this program favors low interest rates and subsidies to obtain financing.

Houses on Morro dos Tabajaras, behind Cemetery São João Batista

Currently, Brazil has an estimated housing shortage of between 8 and 10 million. The majority of this demand is coming from the northeast of Brazil where the economy is growing at a rate of twice as fast as the rest of the country.

Although the government has said the elderly and the disabled will have priority when allocating the new housing, no one has mentioned when these houses will be built, or more strategically, where.  I suspect that the majority of houses will be built in the Northeast, and nowhere near Rio.

Ultimately, an unspecified number of houses will be built, at an uncertain size, in an undetermined location. Meanwhile, thousands upon thousands of low income residents within Rio will be displaced.

So, the question begs to be asked, why are we displacing residents who already have homes, if we’re in the midst of such a housing crisis?!

Nós do Morro was conceptualized in 1986 as a cultural movement which strove to harvest the artistic talent of young people in Vidigal. The idea was to produce art by and for the residents of the community. Earning a sponsorship from Petrobras in 2001, a new space with the capacity for 80 seats as well as a Cultural Center was built in the Almirante Tamandaré Municipal School located at the top of Vidigal. Originally, the company was exclusively for favela residents, opening its doors to the wider public in 2004.

As the show was about to begin, the audience took to the seats scattered around the periphery of the room. We were each given a piece of cardboard to use as fans when the room got too smoky or too hot. The lights dimmed, the music started, and I was blown away!

At the end of the show, the director was asked to give a speech. He said, “See, you don’t need a lot of money to put on a show; you just need creative people.” And that is exactly what he had. The actors were extremely well rehearsed, full of energy, and had such amazing stage presence. Later, when talking with the cast, I learned that six actors were involved in making the costumes; there weren’t many props.  But everyone in the company was so professional and having a great time. The audience too was filled with laughter.

Today, Nós do Morro is world renowned and has achieved significant public recognition. The company has been awarded several prizes from Shell, Coca-Cola, the City Government of Rio de Janeiro, the United Nations (an Honorable Mention), and the Municipal Secretary of Social Assistance of Rio. Their recognition is well deserved and many of their actors go on to significant roles in theater, on TV, and in films.

I, for one, am still reeling. Bravo!

Impunity amongst the Brazilian Police is a lasting legacy from the military dictatorship when many officers were not held accountable for the crimes they committed. Today, certain divisions of military police continue to act with disregard as immense corruption among the ranks has skewed and clouded the perception of punishable activity.

Mafia-like corruption and violence is rampant both in the ranks of the drug traffickers and within the ranks of police officers. Highly armed drug traffickers strictly govern the urban favelas and defend their turf from rival gangs and from the police. Meanwhile, Brazilian police continue to fuel the violence by acting viciously and purposefully outside the law.

A new policing approach is necessary to ensure the immediate safety for all citizens of Rio and to lay the foundation for a long-term crime-fighting strategy in the years ahead. One new strategy designed to hold the police accountable for their actions is called the Unidade de Polícia Pacificadora (UPP).

UPPs, or Peacemaker Police Units, refer to the groups of police who are beginning to enter, set up shop in, and control favelas in the Zona Sul by restricting the activities of drug traffickers.

As opposed to the sporadic and violent raids conducted by the police to seize drugs and arms, the establishments of UPPs are forcing the peaceful integration of police into these communities. Such reforms are already reducing the rates of crime and violence.

But if the drug traffickers are being expelled from the favelas in the Zona Sul of Rio, where are they going to operate next? Will the corrupt militias of police eventually turn to selling drugs in order to fill the void left by the traffickers? Only time will tell…

Drama was, in fact, everywhere. Normally when there is a soccer game cheers, jeers, and gasps can be heard from anywhere in the city. So many people are watching the game that you will be sitting in your living room, and all of a sudden, life in your house will pause for an instant. Noise – screaming, cursing, and/or fireworks – floods the streets before life can resume.

So, on this day, if you can imagine, the entire country was paralyzed. Even non-soccer fans were glued to the television, holed up in bars, and getting rowdy in the street.

Soccer fans were generating so much noise that thieves were able to use cheering as a disguise for blasting, as they made their way through 110 yards through of solid rock to steal $6 million dollars from a cash delivery firm in São Paulo. These thieves had dug a tunnel one yard high by one yard wide, and clearly waited for the opportune moment to execute this operation. Even though security guards heard the noise at about 5 p.m. on Sunday, they figured it was from fireworks that soccer fans had been setting off throughout the afternoon.

During all of this, I, for one, was trying to take a nap as I’m not really into soccer. But clearly the nap was in vain.

That night as I drove to dinner with some friends, my one friend sitting in the backseat of the car took off his Flamengo jersey, hung it out the window, and started shouting to his fellow comrades. He wasn’t alone. Buses, motorcyclists, bicyclists were also flashing their lights and beeping their horns. Pedestrians of all ages were waving their banners and shaking hands with one another, in between shouting in celebration.

After dinner, the cheers subsided slightly as Rio fell asleep. But at 2:00 a.m. there was a resurgence. An impromptu ticker-tape parade – complete with  blaring music, large floats and screaming marchers – came down one of the main streets in Botafogo. In my sleepy state, I remember thinking, “Man…well, at least they didn’t lose!”

Rio’s current plans to fight crime, including the new initiative Choque de Ordem (Shock of Order), have largely been modeled on Giuliani’s Zero Tolerance Policy which drastically reduced crime rates in New York City. Between 1994 and 2002, crime in New York City fell by 57 percent while murders were reduced by 65 percent. These improvements did not happen overnight. Giuliani himself, told city officials that results could only be expected within five or six years.

The state of Rio de Janeiro will receive R$900 million (511 million USD) to spend on security during and leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games. Giuliani Security & Safety will take on the job to reduce crime rates and to make the city of Rio safer, cleaner, and healthier, while providing a higher standard of education for the children. With the impending Olympics, Giuliani is being considered a timely option to repair and prepare the city.

But will Giuliani be the answer? How much will he actually be able to accomplish? Will his tactics, often criticized as brutal, truly aid or expend the poor?