The Problem-Solving Entrepreneurs in Brazil’s Favelas
By
Brian Winter
In an era of surprisingly persistent poverty and hunger, some communities are making progress.
SÃO PAULO — Until recently, the 8% of Brazilians who live in favelas were almost completely left out of the country’s e-commerce boom. Because of security risks, and the fact many residences lack easily identifiable addresses, most shipping companies refused to deliver to places like Paraisópolis, a community of about 40,000 in southern São Paulo. Residents instead ordered packages to their workplace (as long as the boss was cool), or the houses of friends in other parts of town. That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when local resident Giva Pereira founded Favela...
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