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Latest News
  • [ January 29, 2026 ] ‘It’s the Place of Resistance of Our Existence’: Duque de Caxias’ Culture Manor is a Hub for Art, Education and Leisure by Community Contributors
  • [ January 13, 2026 ] 10 Years Since the Rio Olympics: Vila Autódromo Continues to Resist Gentrification Pressures Amidst New ‘Olympic Barra’ Neighborhood #EvictionsWatch
  • [ January 8, 2026 ] COP30 Civil Society Rundown: Thousands of Communities and Social Movements, Representing Favelas, Indigenous, Quilombola and Other Marginalized Groups Fill Belém During COP30 [IMAGES] *Highlight
  • [ December 31, 2025 ] ‘What We Want Aren’t Bodies on the Ground… It’s Recognition of [Our] People Creating Solutions’: Penha Favelas Hold Composters and Integrated Health Events Highlighting Local Climate Memories *Highlight
  • [ December 26, 2025 ] 2025 Retrospective of Top International Reporting on Rio’s Favelas #MediaWatch
HomeLight (electricity)

Light (electricity)

#ParticipationWatch

Where is the Serra da Misericórdia Municipal Park?

By Ava Rose Hoffman • August 19, 2015

Clique aqui para Português On December 16, 2010 Mayor Eduardo Paes signed Decree 33.280 to establish Leopoldina Municipal Urban Park in the Serra da Misericórdia, located in the North Zone of Rio. In 2012, the project […]

Civil Society

‘Militant’ Favela Activist Wins Historic Election in Babilônia

By Brooke Parkin • June 18, 2015

Clique aqui para Português The Chapa Amarela campaign ticket won the Neighborhood Association elections on April 26 in the community of Babilônia, in Rio’s South Zone, with 394 votes. A total of 754 residents voted, choosing between […]

Gatos and abandoned phone company wires
by Community Contributors

The Owners of Electricity in Rocinha

By Zé Luis S. Lima • Translation by Lara Mancinelli • March 30, 2015

For the original in Portuguese by Zé Luis S. Lima, published in Viva Rocinha, click here. The year is 1970. When night began to fall in Rocinha it was time to light candles, gas lamps and oil […]

#EvictionsWatch

Diverging Paths: Vila Autódromo Residents Resist, Move On, Await

By Kate Steiker-Ginzberg • August 11, 2014

Clique aqui para Português “O meu lugar, É cercado de luta e suor, Esperança num mundo melhor” “My place, It is surrounded by struggle and sweat, Hope for a better world” Maria do Socorro’s 14-year-old […]

#GentrificationWatch

Vidigal Debates Gentrification with Public Authorities in Fourth “Fala Vidigal” Event

By Michel Jaquet • June 28, 2014

Clique aqui para Português On Tuesday June 3, the Vila Vidigal Neighborhood Association, the Intersectoral Forum of Vidigal, Albergue da Comunidade, Vidblog Vidigal, ONG Horizonte and Catalytic Communities hosted the final of four debates in the “Fala Vidigal” series looking at the […]

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RioOnWatch’s anti-racist reporting series won silver in the 2022 inaugural The Anthem Awards, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category among Best Local Awareness Programs.
A Project of

About

In May 2010, Catalytic Communities launched what was originally Rio Olympics Neighborhood Watch (hence RioOnWatch), a program to bring visibility to favela community voices in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This news site, RioOnWatch.org, grew into a much-needed and unique reference featuring favela perspectives on the urban transformation of Rio. With diverse and deeply interlinked articles by a mix of community reporters, resident opinions, solidarity reporters, international observers, and academic researchers, we work to engender a more accurate picture of favelas, their contributions to the city, and the potential of favela-led community development in Rio and around the world.

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Awards

Special Thanks

Fundação Heinrich Böll Brasil
World Habitat
Fideicomiso de la Tierra Caño Martín Peña
Pastoral de Favelas
Center for CLT Innovation
Global Land Alliance
Ecocity Builders
Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation
SDSU Behner Stiefel Center
The Rio Times
Forum Grita Baixada
Beto Paixão Graphic Design
Architecture Museum of Vienna
Yale School of Architecture

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  • Content Map
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