Brazil-Current Issues

Brazil is a middle-income country and is rich in natural resources, but poverty levels are distressing. As a whole about 35% of the population lives in poverty, making it the largest number in the Western Hemisphere. Thenor mous gaps between social classes creates an opportunities to help some of the world’s poorest people by volunteering abroad in Brazil. Income inequality in Brazil is one of the highest in the world, where 10% of the richest citizens receive half of the country’s income, while the 10% poorest receive less than 1% of the national income.

Poverty in Brazil is most evident with the presence of the slums in the country’s metropolitan areas. These areas are economically underdeveloped regions with very low standard of living. Along with these problems, school non-attendance and malnutrition are some of the biggest educational problems in Brazil. By volunteering at a school or at an orphanage, you can teach a child their first sentences or give them someone to play with. With millions of people living in slums, volunteers are needed to help community development programs, and provide crucial help to make the neighborhood cleaner and the people healthier.