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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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#CommunityMedia

Community Media Profile: Rocinha’s FavelaDaRocinha.com

By Stefanie Bessler • May 30, 2019

Clique aqui para Português Check out the complete series of community media profiles here. For over ten years, community news site FavelaDaRocinha.com has been an important source of local reporting on favela culture, events, and innovative social projects […]

*Highlight

Environmental Education Takes on Race in City of God: Alfazendo’s EcoNetwork #SustainableFavelaNetwork [PROFILE]

By Shawn Provost • November 28, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Initiative: Alfazendo / EcoNetwork Contact: Facebook | Email Year Founded: 1998 / 2010 Community: City of God (West Zone) Mission: To provide education to lead a sustainable life using pedagogy centered […]

#HousingWatch

MTST Occupies Elite Beach in Rio de Janeiro To Claim Rights and Celebrate Black Lives [IMAGES]

By Antoine Horenbeek • November 20, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Landless Workers’ Movement (MTST) and Popular Brigades (BP) celebrated Black Awareness Month by occupying one of the most elite beaches in Rio de Janeiro. For the 5th time, Afro-Brazilians from the MTST and […]

*Highlight

Andrezza, Affirmative Action Beneficiary and Education Advocate from Rio’s Maré Favelas [PROFILE]

By Mareen Butter • Translation by Rachel Fox • November 17, 2018

Clique aqui para Português A resident of the Maré favela complex and graduate in Advertising from the Federal Fluminense University (UFF), at 23, Andrezza Francisco Paulo has already had a number of intense life experiences. In […]

Graffiti on homes tells the story of the communities of Pavão-Pavãozinho and Cantagalo
*Highlight

The Favela Museum of Cantagalo and Pavão-Pavãozinho [PROFILE] #SustainableFavelaNetwork

By Paula Peña • November 14, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Initiative: Museu de Favela (“Favela Museum”) Contact: Website | Facebook | Email Year Founded: 2008 Community: Cantagalo and Pavão-Pavãozinho (South Zone) Mission: To transform the favelas of Cantagalo and Pavão-Pavãozinho into a monument commemorating […]

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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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
    • Reference Articles
  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
    • North Zone
    • West Zone
    • 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
    • Feedback
  • For Journos
  • Donate

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