Favelas Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
When I decided to go to Brazil I knew right away that I must visit favelas and take photos. I’ve watched dozens of documentaries and movies about it and spoke to many locals so I knew it’s not an easy mission to make it happen. And I’m talking not about guided attractions for tourists.
Through many friends of friends of friends the week before my flight I found out that I will be able to visit one of the local favelas and photograph a local community project that teaches kids to play football.
Everyone was so excited for this project and every day I was getting updates of kids preparing to meet me, cleaning the football field and telling everyone that they will be on cameras.
On my second day we bought some treats for the kids met my friend who was a contact person between me and locals and headed to the location.
I don’t think I fully realized what I’m getting myself into and that the place where I’m going is not just an entertainment scene from a movie.
When we got into a cab, the uber driver told us that he won’t be able to go all the way to the top and we have to make sure that our contact person will meet us on the border to favelas.
When we crossed certain point we got pulled over by cops who supervise all in/out safe area line. We were asked about the purpose of the visit the area and warned about the risks.
At that point I already started doubting my crazy ideas.
Once you get to the favela’s bottom area you must open up the window in the car so everything can see who is coming in and can send a sort of message to the top. We were expected their and got the permission from the top people to be allowed to enter the area.
I was only allowed to film and photograph the soccer field with the kids and not even one of the sides that leads to the main drug trafficking. After we got down I’ve been told that next door was the biggest drug store which I wasn’t surprised after actually seeing people with the machine guns. On my question if I could take a photo I got a pretty short sweet and clear answer “No, they will shoot you”. The amount of testosterone was above the normal level.
Putting aside the details meeting those kids who haven’t seen the life outside of favelas was the most breathtaking experience for all of us. The person who trains kids is a young guy was born and raised there made it his life goal to show these kids the outside world. By being able to just spend few days a week not just training them to play football but teaching them to be a better person, have dreams and goals and inspiring them to live a life that will lead them from poverty and drugs to a better future.
There were so much gratitude and appreciation for that simple moment, real feelings and real life. Tears of happiness that there is something better ahead.
I think that no money in the world can stop the poverty but real life examples of what life can be makes the difference in each and single person mind.
I really hope that all of these kids will spend time playing football instead of hanging on the streets, find a hobby and develop talents and skills, get a job instead of stealing and buy books instead of drugs. That they will be inspired to live and never have a single thought of a murder.
