Veer Mehta 25/10/2007
What is a favela?
A favela is the same as a slum, which is generally found on the edge of the city. Favelas are constructed from a variety of materials, ranging from bricks to corrugated iron. Many favelas are very close and very cramped this is because of the lack of space in the cities so space has to be used to its full capability. They are plagued by sewage, crime and hygiene problems. Water is usually accessed by a water pump but some older houses may have access to running water. This is always at the bottom of the hill and creates an incredibly difficult journey for those who live near the top. Only about 50% of the favelas have access to an in-house toilet facility. From these facilities, sewerage runs through open ditches and eventually ends up in the streets; this is very unhygienic and may cause deadly illnesses. Electricity is scarce and very hard to access. Although many of the most infamous are located in Rio de Janeiro, there are favelas in almost every large Brazilian town.
