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  • [ April 28, 2026 ] The Who and Why of Sustainability: Without Retraining, Waste Pickers Have Been on Losing End of Greenwashing 14 Years After Closing of ‘Waste Land’ Dump by Community Contributors
  • [ April 21, 2026 ] New ‘Water Watch Platform’ Enables Monitoring and Public Participation in Health and Sanitation in the State of Rio de Janeiro *Highlight
  • [ April 14, 2026 ] ‘If the Baixada Doesn’t Plant, Rio de Janeiro Doesn’t Eat’: Second Magé Climate Forum Puts Regional Food Sovereignty at the Center *Highlight
  • [ April 10, 2026 ] There’s Blood in the Palmeiras Favela: The Cry for Help Police Chose Not to Hear in São Gonçalo’s Salgueiro Favela Complex #UPPWatch
  • [ April 8, 2026 ] ‘While Water Is Scarce, Profits Abound!’ On World Water Day, Outraged Movements Demand Right to Water in Front of Águas do Rio, Rio de Janeiro’s Private Utility, and Call for Restatization *Highlight
Hometour guides

tour guides

View from Dois Irmãos
#Rio2016

Increased Tourism to Dois Irmãos Trail Raises Concerns in Vidigal

By Nia McAllister, Sarah Cronin • August 13, 2016

Clique aqui para Português Dois Irmãos, the iconic “two brothers” mountains of Rio de Janeiro which can be viewed from Ipanema beach and upon which the Vidigal favela is built, are a popular tourist attraction. The […]

Favela Culture

Favela Tourism: A Profile of Rocinha Guide Erik Martins

By Daniel McGill • May 14, 2016

Erik Martins has many fingers in many pies. I told him so, on the first of many nights that we spent together in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela, located in the city’s South Zone. […]

Civil Society

Vale Encantado Plans for Sustainable Sanitation Project

By Emily Hosek • July 30, 2013

Clique aqui para Português Vale Encantado, a tranquil favela located in the heart of the Tijuca Forest, has developed a creative solution to ensure the historic community’s future development in light of limited public investments: […]

Posts pagination

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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.

Contact & Support

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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

  • Home
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  • Violations
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  • Organizing
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  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
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    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
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    • License
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