STORY-TRÅD·sport

Brazil has nearly 400,000 people living on the streets

On Brazil’s National Day of Action for the Homeless, observed this Wednesday (Aug. 19), the country had 388,855 people living on the streets. São Paulo tops the national ranking, with 159,290 recorded cases. Rio ranks second, with 35,406, followed by Minas Gerais, which ranks third, with 34,849. The country’s National Policy for the Homeless Population was created in 2009 to ensure basic rights for people living in extreme poverty and without housing in coordination with state policies. By registering in the Unified Registry for Social Programs (CadÚnico), they have broad and simplified access to public policies in health care, education, social assistance, housing, safety, culture, sports, recreation, employment, and income. Legislation Notícias relacionadas:Brazil reduces poverty but widens inequalities.UN: Brazil remains off Hunger Map.In the state of Rio de Janeiro, for example, the vast majority of people experiencing homelessness are in the city of Rio de Janeiro – 22,352 people. The law that established the State Policy for the Homeless Population defines this group as those marked by extreme poverty, the weakening or breakdown of family ties, and the lack of regular, conventional housing. In addition to the rights established at the national level, state legislation also establishes the creation of a temporary shelter network, food security initiatives, vocational training, job placement services, and housing programs supported by multidisciplinary teams. The measure prohibits any discrimination in the provision of services based on economic status, ethnicity, race, or health status, including in cases related to the use of alcohol and other drugs. A new beginning One story of overcoming adversity is that of writer Leonardo Motta, who lived on the city streets for a year and three months after struggling with two decades of addiction to alcohol and other drugs. He has now been sober for nine years, is married, lives on Rio’s Paquetá Island, and has published three books. “What led me to that situation was substance abuse. I took drugs for 20 years – including alcohol, cocaine, and crack. I managed to get off the streets when I accepted help and went to a treatment facility, where I stayed for seven months.” He is also the author of Revista na Calçada (“On the sidewalk”), a poetry magazine dedicated to giving visibility to the experiences of the homeless population. “The advice I offer to anyone in this situation is to accept help. On one hand, there is someone willing to help; on the other, the person must also accept that help.”