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The third eye
A journey into the hidden suburbs of Rio de Janeiro
WELLCOME TO Piabeta'
Piabetà is a dormitory town in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro .
This area is known also as"BAIXADA FLUMINENSE", which, in the past, was the slum of free slaves.
We estimate that here live around 150000 people but most of them aren't registered at all.
A famous English journalist defined this place as one of the MOST DAUNGEROUS PLACES IN THE WORLD considering the average of killing.
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isn't easy here:
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But the most important evils of this place are drug trade , prostitution, and violence. The population is often kept in ignorance,and this doesn't improve their life conditions .The school is not based on a progressive system so that many many boys and girl can't even write and read. The children are often abandoned to their selves and are easily exploited in the trade of drug and prostitution. |
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From the journal of a volunteer in Piabetà:
JULY,
THE 18TH, 1999 "In the last house we went to, I met the complete poorness:
there was nothing, not even love. In a slum without windows a woman lives with
her 3 children. Inside there were only dirty clothes and the smell was terrible.
The woman looked almost 60 years old, but she probably was 30 and she had 6
children: 3 were dead and 3 were alive: one was 5, the other one was
around 7 and the last one was a sweetie, only 40 days old. This baby is tiny and
his name is Lucas: at first sight you can tell he is starving: his face was all
covered by spots caused by the lack of vitamins; his legs were so thin and he
was all dirty. Mother Amelia told us that his mother doesn't suckle him,
also if she can , who knows why. The baby was crying so loud and I'm
afraid he won't survive.
Ste, Yuma, Maria Rita and I decided to go in this slum everyday to make sure the mother is giving milk to Lucas and to bring him the vitamins he needs. And we also want to go to clean up and disinfest the house . I don't mind if I'll get lice or what, I want to do that.
But the most incredible thing of this place is the Brazilian people
angels in a difficult country, who speak words of love and brotherhood!
stifling
heat
