In 2022, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) reported more than 67 million Brazilians were living in poverty and an additional 12.7 million in extreme poverty. The organization ETIV do Brasil is working to change this. The organization has made educating Brazil’s youth and transforming the country’s environment its mission.

Poverty, Economic Inequality and Education in Brazil

In 2003, the Brazilian government implemented Bolsa Família, the Brazilian Cash Transfer, to eradicate hunger and alleviate poverty. Following the Brazilian economic crisis in 2014 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the government expanded the program, hoping to actualize this goal. However, in 2022, the World Bank reported the poverty rate to be 24.3%, on par with statistics from 2014. Despite ongoing efforts to alleviate poverty in Brazil, the poverty rate has largely remained stagnant.

Economic disparity in the country is pronounced, with a notable contrast in wealth distribution. As of November 2023, data from Statista revealed that approximately 49% of Brazil’s wealth was concentrated within the top 1% of the population. In stark contrast, the bottom half of the population experienced a negative wealth of 0.4%, indicating that their debts exceeded their assets. The economic disparities in Brazil are most pronounced between the wealthier southern regions and the poorer northern areas, as well as between urban and rural areas and within cities.

In 2021, the World Bank reported Brazil had a Gini coefficient of 0.53, constituting the country as one of the most unequal countries in the entire world. Recognition and acknowledgment of economic inequality in Brazil is one of the first steps towards reducing poverty in the nation. This is because economic inequality strongly impacts education in Brazil due to the enrollment of students in higher education largely dependent on their family income.

ETIV do Brasil

ETIV do Brasil is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty among the youth in Itacaré, ensuring they have increased access to opportunities through education. Located in Itacaré, within the state of Bahia in the Northeast of Brazil, an area known for its economic challenges, the organization aims to uplift the local community. With approximately 15 million residents in Bahia, statistics indicate that around 42% of the population falls below the poverty line, while an additional 13% are extremely poor.

ETIV do Brasil, guided by its mission to Educate, Transform, Integrate and Value (ETIV) every member of the local community, was established in October 2015. Despite its relatively recent inception, the nonprofit has already empowered more than 450 children. Additionally, the organization has collaborated with more than 100 volunteers hailing from 23 different countries, fostering a diverse and global perspective. Furthermore, ETIV has forged more than 35 partnerships, both within the local community and internationally.

Recently, The Borgen Project had the opportunity to interview Chloe Bonfield, who volunteered for ETIV do Brasil while on a missionary trip to Brazil. Bonfield described the organization as “the epitome of community spirit, resilience and strength.” Bonfield told The Borgen Project, “ETIV allows individuals to come together to support one another. Children can learn life skills that help the entire community overcome adversity”.

ETIV do Brasil: Gender Equality

The nonprofit plays a crucial role in promoting gender equality and female empowerment through two dedicated programs: the Girls Empowerment Club and the Girls Health Club. These initiatives operate in a total of 10 programs across Itacaré. In January 2024, a study published in BMC Public Health drew attention to gender roles in Brazil by comparing urban and rural areas. The research revealed that both girls from urban and rural regions exhibited higher rates of participation in household chores than boys.

The study suggests there is a correlation between children’s compliance with typical gender roles and behaviors. Bonfield told The Borgen Project that gender equality programs such as those with ETIV do Brasil “teach children their future is a world of possibilities.” Not only do these programs provide children with the skills and education needed to progress, but they also demonstrate to them their desires and goals are achievable,” Bonfield shared.

ETIV do Brasil: Environmental Education

Itacaré is a community whose livelihoods are largely reliant on fishing and subsistence agriculture. More than three-quarters of all tropical commercial fish depend on the success of mangrove forests. Therefore, an understanding of the environment and being able to maintain it remains imperative. As part of encouraging sustainability practices with ETIV do Brasil, Bonfield describes how they “often planted Mangroves with children.” Not only does this educate the children, but it also helps the entire local community to flourish.

Conclusion 

ETIV do Brasil educates children, builds relationships between community members and fosters respect and awareness for the local environment. The initiative’s educational programs provide children with opportunities for a better future as well as empower them to make positive changes in their lives and communities.

– Heidi Helen Horgan
Photo: Pexels