In Favelas, 96 Percent Believe in Effectiveness of Social Isolation

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Residents of Brazil’s peripheries are deeply concerned about the coronavirus and believe that quarantine is the best means to fight the disease pandemic in the country.

According to a survey conducted by the advertising agency Responsa – specialized in marketing initiatives for favela communities – shows that 96 percent of this population believes in the effectiveness of social isolation to contain infection. The survey further showed that 90 percent of respondents said they feel the government is not implementing effective measures to help the most impoverished at this time.

The survey interviewed 525 people from different parts of Brazil, 40 percent of them in São Paulo, between March 25th and 28th. All respondents are in classes C, D and E.

According to the agency’s creative director, Samuel Gomes, who lives in Vila Guarani, in the southern part of São Paulo, the concern is justified by the living structure in lower-income communities.

“Everyone lives very close together in the periphery – grandparents, parents, children, uncles and aunts. As we face the reality of SUS and public transports, we know that the spread of the disease will mainly affect us”.

The fear concerning shortage of money and unemployment also shows clearly in the survey. According to the survey, only 52 percent of people are currently employed or working in home offices.

The remainder is divided among those who were no longer working (30 percent), employees who lost their wages (11 percent) and those who were fired due to the crisis (four percent).

Faced with this reality of disillusionment with official help, Gomes – known in the advertising market as Samuka – says that companies can fill the vacuum of assistance left by the government. The survey showed that 81 percent of respondents believe that brands can do something to help them during this confinement period, either with food and hand sanitizer donations or with information and entertainment.

Source: O Estado de S. Paulo.