Rio de Janeiro's stunning landscape, characterized by lush green hills and sparkling beaches, contributes to the city's worldwide acclaim for its natural beauty. Straggled haphazardly along this breathtaking backdrop, though, the city's low socio-economic favelas stand as a testament to resilience, resourcefulness, and community strength of its inhabitants. While the stunning landscapes define Rio's beauty, the favelas, often perched in these high places, present a unique set of challenges for their residents, particularly in the acquisition of basic necessities like electricity and water. The hilly topography not only enhances the visual appeal of Rio but also fosters a sense of community and identity within the favelas. The elevated positions provide cooler temperatures and natural ventilation, creating an environment that, despite the challenges, offers a sort of respite from the bustling city below, in which so many of them work at difficult, often dangerous, low wage jobs.

The favelas, informal settlements characterized by densely packed housing and often lacking in infrastructure, are an integral part of the city's cultural and social fabric. These jerry built communities have emerged over decades, driven by factors such as rapid urbanization, poverty, and a lack of affordable housing. Though facing numerous challenges, they are vibrant communities with a rich tapestry of culture, art, and resilience. Yet crime there, including gang wars and drugs, are much more prevalent than in the higher income areas of the city.

One of the primary challenges faced by the residents of Rio's favelas is the provision of electricity. Due to their informal nature, these settlements often lack proper electrical infrastructure. In response, residents have devised ingenious methods to tap into the city's power grid. Illegal connections, makeshift wiring, and shared connections are common sights in these communities, as residents work together to ensure a steady supply of electricity.

Some favelas, as I have been led to understand, have also implemented community-driven initiatives to address the electricity issue. Residents might pool resources to purchase generators or solar panels, providing a more sustainable and reliable source of power. Despite the challenges, the resourcefulness of the favela residents is evident in their ability to overcome obstacles and create solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Similar to electricity, water supply in Rio's favelas poses an even more significant challenge, and a much more complicated one. The informal nature of these settlements often results in inadequate plumbing infrastructure leading to difficulties in accessing clean and safe water. Residents may rely on communal taps, water trucks, or even illegally tapping into municipal water lines to meet their daily needs.

Community-led solutions also play a crucial role in addressing water scarcity. Residents might organize collective efforts to install rainwater harvesting systems or community wells, providing a more sustainable and independent water source. Non-governmental organizations and community-based initiatives often work hand in hand with residents to improve water infrastructure and sanitation in these areas.

When we visited Rio the first time, we heard rumors about a miniature (model) favela that was an ongoing project being constructed by a young man who resided in one of them, and decided that we wanted to see it. Our hotel’s concierge warned us against actually entering there, saying that it was particularly dangerous for foreigners. This, of course, gave us second thoughts but, in the end, we decided to take a few precautions and try anyway.

We had brought with us a bunch of cheap looking single use film cameras that were left over from our daughter’s wedding. This, because we were aware even before our departure to the city, that Rio could be a high crime area, especially regarding distracted tourists. We had the hotel get an English speaking driver for us knowing that this would cost more than one we could pick up on the street, but feeling much more trust in this method than the other, and arranged to pay him only after we were back in the hotel. I carried a wallet with only a limited amount of cash, and no identification whatsoever except for a few of copies of our passports and the hotel’s name, address, and phone number. I also had a little sheet with a description of what we were looking for that the concierge wrote out for me.

We described to the driver which favela we wanted to go to. He identified it as the one called Favela Cariocas, and said that what we were looking for was called “Project Morrinho,” which meant “Little Hill” in Portuguese. The model favela had actually become locally famous which, I suppose, is how we even got to learn about it, and was initiated about ten years earlier by a then 14 year old kid named Cirlan Souza de Oliveira. Yet, knowing all this, and knowing that it was well known, the driver still told us that he would only drive us to the Favela and wait for us, but would not himself enter it.

Crime against tourists, as I understood it to be in Rio, was not generally violent. It’s usually more of the type in which possessions are snatched, or pockets picked when a person is caught off guard. As I described, we brought nothing with us that was worth much so, should this happen, we would not lose anything beyond some almost useless cameras and about fifty dollars worth of local money.

Almost as soon as we entered the favela we were stared at by nearly everyone. It was obvious that we did not “belong” there. Then three young men approached us and asked why we were there. I showed him the paper that described what we were looking for, and the three of them “offered” to guide us there. I took this to be an offer we could not refuse.

By the way, the language of Brazil is Portuguese, which I do not know one word of, but many can speak fairly decent Spanish and even a little English. So between those two, and lots of hand signals and facial expressions, my wife and I were able to effectively communicate with them … I think.

After about a half hour up and down walk, we eventually reached the abode of the now young man who made those models and was still working on more. He now has about ten other young people working under his directions, and has high hopes that this project will get the world to see the plight of the people who are forced by circumstances to live in these places. He showed us around, describing what he felt were some of the highlights of his project and, after about an hour, accompanied once again by our three companions, we headed back to the (actual) favela’s entrance/exit much to the relief of the driver who was waiting patiently for us. I handed the young men the equivalent of about thirty dollars for their trouble, and thanked them. By this time I felt Balsy enough to ask if I could take their picture, but they refused.

Rio's favelas stand as a testament to the indomitable spirit of its residents who navigate the challenges posed by the city's hilly topography to build vibrant communities. Most of these people are certainly not criminals and, actually, engage in most of the low pay labor that keeps the city running. Despite facing obstacles in securing electricity and water, the resourcefulness and unity within these settlements reflect a commitment to overcoming adversity. As Rio continues to evolve, addressing the needs of its favela residents is crucial for building a more equitable and inclusive city where the beauty of the landscape is mirrored in the strength of its communities.