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  • [ December 4, 2025 ] Portrait of a Centenary-Old Favela of Stilt Houses: Belém’s Vila da Barca Resists, Organizes and Fights for Sanitation and Adequate Housing #HousingWatch
  • [ November 30, 2025 ] The Story of Dona Pascoalina, Midwife and Healer of Morro do Borel by Community Contributors
  • [ November 15, 2025 ] ‘There’s No Such Thing as Normal After a Massacre’: One Week After Police Mega-Operation Kills 121 People, Residents From Complexos do Alemão and Penha Speak Out #UPPWatch
  • [ November 13, 2025 ] ‘Human Beings Forget That They Are Nature’: Favelas Teach the Path to the Future at the 2nd Favela Sustainability Festival Civil Society
  • [ November 12, 2025 ] Food Sovereignty and Culinary Heritage Connect with Fight for Climate Justice at the 2nd Sustainable Favela Festival Civil Society
HomeWritersSarah Jacobs

Writer: Sarah Jacobs

Civil Society

Community in Praça Seca Shows How Small Green Actions Make a Difference

By Sarah Jacobs • June 14, 2015

Clique aqui para Português Residents and activists in the São José Operário community, home to approximately 6,500 people in the Praça Seca area of Rio’s West Zone, celebrated World Environment Day on June 3. The event provided […]

#CommunityMedia

Tense Week Introduces New Policy of “Lightning Evictions” Across Rio Favelas

By Sarah Jacobs • June 8, 2015

Click Here for English In Santa Marta in Rio’s South Zone, Vila Autódromo near the Olympic Park in the West Zone, and Favela do Metrô in the North Zone, a series of “lightning evictions”–forced evictions with little or no […]

#EvictionsWatch

Complexo do Alemão Residents Highlight Rio Government’s Broken Promises of Housing in Favela da Skol

By Sarah Jacobs • June 2, 2015

Victims of the City government’s broken promises of housing in Complexo do Alemão spoke out at an event held in the community by Rio de Janeiro’s Public Defender’s Office on Saturday May 23. The Public Defender’s Office exists […]

#CommunityMedia

Complexo do Alemão Youth Create Documentary to Promote North Rio’s Urban Forest

By Sarah Jacobs • May 9, 2015

Between the smoke and the bullets of Rio’s North Zone / The Serra takes on its biggest challenge yet, becoming green / I love you, Serra da Misericórdia – Luiz Poeta, founder of Verdejar Complexo […]

#CommunityMedia

Optimism, Disillusionment and Despair: Favela Residents and Activists Debate Pacification

By Sarah Jacobs • April 21, 2015

Clique aqui para Português Community leaders and members of the public met on April 16 to discuss the Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) program in Rio’s favelas. The event was organized by the favela news portal Viva Favela (a […]

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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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Fundação Heinrich Böll Brasil
World Habitat
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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
    • Highlighted Stories
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  • Communities
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    • Public Security
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    • Education
    • Health
    • Sanitation
  • Violations
    • Human Rights
    • Housing Rights
    • Police Violence
    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
    • Community Organizing
    • Community Solution
    • Resistance
    • Sustainability
    • Participation
    • Protest
    • Culture
    • Responsible Tourism
  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
    • by Int’l Observers
    • Series
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      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
    • Interviews/Profiles
    • Research & Analysis
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    • Listicles
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    • Translated Articles
  • About
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