How a Brazilian NGO is Making a Difference in Favelas During the Pandemic

When COVID-19 hit Brazil, people living in the poor, densely populated urban neighborhoods known as favelas were among those most affected. To help the residents, the organization G10 Favelas stepped in and provided food, sanitation supplies, and even volunteer assistance. They recently visited Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to share their innovative strategies for supporting vulnerable communities during the pandemic and beyond. The event was sponsored by the Department of Global Health and Population and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. G10 Favelas, named after the G7 group of countries, was established in 2019 to bring together social impact leaders and entrepreneurs from Brazil’s largest favelas. They are involved in various initiatives to improve economic growth in these areas, including a bank, a stock exchange for local startups, and a logistics company for delivering packages to underserved neighborhoods. When the pandemic started, G10 Favelas quickly adapted their social entrepreneurship efforts to provide emergency response. They transformed job training programs into hubs for making face masks and lunchboxes, which were then distributed to residents. The success of their efforts can be attributed to the strong sense of community in the favelas. Residents supported each other through volunteer work, allowing people to safely quarantine at home. The representatives from G10 Favelas hope to continue sharing their expertise with academic institutions like Harvard Chan School. This event was truly inspiring and highlighted the importance of listening to the local community and finding solutions that work for them.