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Latest News
  • [ 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
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informal economy

Favela Qualities

The Transvida Recycling Cooperative and Kids’ Home of Dreams: Transformed Lives in Rio de Janeiro’s Favela of Vila Cruzeiro [PROFILE]

By Sofia Bazin • Translation by Cheyne Bull • April 14, 2020

Clique aqui para Português This is the latest in a series of profiles of initiatives in Rio’s Sustainable Favela Network. Initiative: Cooperativa Transvida (Transvida Cooperative)  Contact: Facebook Year Founded: 2011 Community: Vila Cruzeiro, Complexo da Penha […]

Man wearing a white mask with a favela as background. Photo by: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
#CoronavirusWatch

Covid-19 Unmasks the Privilege of Isolation in Rio de Janeiro and All Brazil

By Anouk Aflalo Doré • April 9, 2020

Clique aqui para Português This is our latest article on the new coronavirus as it impacts Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. “That’s what’s happening. If you don’t create a plan for the peripheries of the whole […]

#CoronavirusWatch

Coronavirus: Income Falls for 7 in 10 Families in Brazil’s Favelas

By Rodrigo Caetano • Translation by Dylan Blau Edelstein • March 27, 2020

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese by Rodrigo Caetano published in Exame click here. This is the fourth article in what will be a spotlighted issue on RioOnWatch for the foreseeable future: the […]

Long-time shop keeper in Rio de Janeiro's first favela, Providencia. Photo by Antoine Horenbeek
*Highlight

‘Undervaluation of Informal Sector Innovations’: Paper Argues for Rethinking Methodology [REVIEW]

By Eli Nemzer • February 21, 2019

Clique aqui para Português In a recent paper titled “Undervaluation of Informal Sector Innovations: Making a Case for Revisiting Methodology” published in the African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh of the Center for Studies in […]

#EvictionsWatch

IBGE Occupation Eviction in Mangueira: ‘You have five minutes to leave’ [IMAGES]

By Émilie B. Guérette • Translation by Cara D’Rosario • May 9, 2018

Clique aqui para Português On April 27, the City of Rio de Janeiro took action to enforce a repossession order for the former Brazilian census bureau’s (IBGE – Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics) building […]

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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

contact@rioonwatch.org
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10 Years! Check Out Our Story:

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
    • Highlighted Stories
    • Understanding Rio
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  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
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    • Greater Rio
  • Policies
    • Public Security
    • Housing
    • Transport
    • 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
      • Anti-Racist Series
      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
    • Interviews/Profiles
    • Research & Analysis
    • Reviews
    • Listicles
    • Opinion
    • Reference
    • Podcasts
    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
    • Our Reporting Policy
    • License
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