Brazil

Brazil is a land of incredible and often cruel contrasts. Rich in natural resources and marked by a vibrant culture and society, Brazil is emerging as a global economic power. Despite this vast potential, many Brazilians exist in the throes of tremendous poverty and misery.

With a population of 172 million people, Brazil is the fifth-largest country in the world. However, among countries of similar size, it has the world's worst income distribution. Some 24 million Brazilians live in extreme poverty and, according to the Brazilian bishops, 50 million people go hungry every day. Despite improvements under the current administration of President Luís Inácio "Lula" da Silva, all Brazilians do not share equitably in the country's economic growth. Large-scale infrastructure projects and development plans often ignore the needs of the poor.

Since 1993, the work of Catholic Relief Services Brazil has focused primarily on the semiarid northeastern region. This vast area, which covers 18 percent of the country and is home to 27 percent of its population, is the poorest and least developed in Brazil. CRS works with Caritas Brazil and other partners to promote sustainable farming and water management and to advocate on behalf of the region's most disenfranchised people.

More recently, CRS Brazil has expanded its work to include support for projects that address the factors perpetuating injustice and unacceptable living conditions for Brazilians. CRS Brazil and our partners collaborate to combat slave labor, to provide compassionate care for people living with HIV, and to harness the power of the Church to promote a culture of justice.

Country Representative Richard Hoffman and his staff of eight carry out the work of CRS Brazil from the city of Recife in northeastern Brazil.