Case Study of Rio de Janiero Shanty Towns in LICs Case Study of Rio de Janiero

LAND USE IN AN LIC

Case Study - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Rio de Janeiro is a city located on Brazil's south-east coast. It is one of Brazil's largest settlements with a population of approximately 12 million people. The population of Rio de Janeiro has grown for a number of reasons. Natural Increase is one reason for its growth (this is when the birth rate is higher than the death rate). The population has also grown as the result of urbanisation. 65% of urban growth is a result of migration.

What are the impacts of rapid urban growth for Rio? Housing pressures (growth of favelas such as Rocinha. 40% live in Favelas) Lack of employment means people are looking for other ways to earn money many will work in the informal sector e.g. porters, shoe shiners this is employment for half the city’s work force Transport problems – congestion and pollution Sanitation and Health (sewage, waste disposal, disease) Problems of energy supply Increased demand for services (schools and Hospitals) Social problems (crime, Rio murder capital of world) Urban sprawl Shanty towns are built on unstable land of poor materials– risk of landslides & fires.

Example of a Favela: Rocinha Rocinha is the largest favela in Brazil. It is located in the southern zone of the city. It is built on a steep hillside overlooking the city, just one kilometre from the beach. It is home to between 60,000 to 150,000 people (though this could be more). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS_PjwaqZYE

Improving Shanty Towns Although most governments would like to remove shanty towns from their cities, they cannot afford to build the necessary replacement accommodation. Two government-assisted schemes in Brazil aimed at improving the quality of life in the shantytowns are: Low-cost Improvements Existing housing is improved by re-building with cheap, quick and easy to use breezeblocks. A tank of water on the roof collects rainwater. Electricity and sewerage may by added. Most people who live in these will have some sort of employment so that they can pay low rents. Self-help schemes Groups of people are encouraged to help build their new homes. Each group will do basic work such as digging the ditches to take the water and sewerage pipes. The local authority will then provide breezeblocks and roofing tiles, and the group will provide the labour. The advantages of this is that it can be done in stages and create a community spirit.

The government puts in basic services such as clean water and sewerage and provides building materials, such as breezeblocks. The families then get together and help build the homes (Some being trained as plumbers, some electricians and so on.) This means that the buildings are relatively cheap and hygienic and their construction creates good community spirit.

Self-help schemes - Rocinha, Favela Bairro Project The authorities in Rio de Janeiro have taken a number of steps to reduce problems in favelas. They have set up self-help schemes. This is when the local authority provide local residents with the materials needs to construct permanent accommodation. This includes breeze blocks and cement. The local residents provide the labour. The money saved can be spent on providing basic amenities such as electricity and water. Today, almost all the houses in Rocinha are made from concrete and brick. Some buildings are three and four stories tall and almost all houses have basic sanitation, plumbing, and electricity. Compared to simple shanty towns or slums, Rocinha has a better developed infrastructure and hundreds of businesses such as banks, drug stores, bus lines, cable television, including locally based channel TV ROC, and, at one time, even a McDonalds franchise, though it has since closed.

Micro Lending These are schemes involving money being lent to people running businesses in the favela In Rocinha, schemes have been financed by Vivacred, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1997 to provide loans to the micro-enterprises comprising Brazil’s booming informal economy, which have no access to credit. The loans range from $260 to $5200, and enable entrepreneurs to build or expand businesses like small tailors or dressmaking shops, corner stores, barber shops or even dentist or lawyer’s offices. By October 2000, over 5000 loans had been granted, for a total of $4.85m Vivacred is one of the micro-finance institutions that have cropped up in Brazil in recent years, with the initial support of city governments, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations children’s fund (UNICEF), international NGOs and private entities.

Solutions to problems in Rocinha

What are the sustainable solutions to other problems in Rio? Forced evictions of squatter settlements – To clear land for formal development Low cost housing – Very basic breeze block housing constructed. People re-housed in them. City of God Site and Service – Land is cleared and building plots prepared with water and electricity. Residents are given legal rights over the land Rural Development – To reduce rural to urban migration Raise taxes - on the rich to pay for improving housing for the poor Local initiatives – such as Afro-Reggae using music and culture to keep kids away from crime and drugs

Further Info https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpc5RVKK3f8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdk7VX0YgR0