Zero Hunger Project

"The top 20 percent of the population earn 60 percent of the country's income, whilst the lowest 20 percent survive on less than 4 percent."
FAO, this FAO article is addressing the poverty in Brazil and how its extreme effects are causing the malnutrition of some 44 million persons in Brazil. What is FAO? It is a food and agricultural organization that is part of the United Nation. One of their main interests is to defeat world hunger. They were working together with past president Lula in an attempt to feed the nation of Brazil. To do this they enforced the Zero Hunger Project. In this project they would allow funds (via cash cards) to persons in Brazil that could prove they fell at or below the required poverty status. These people were the ones that are surviving on about 1 US dollar a day. Namely people in the state of Bahia in North Eastern Brazil. The poorest region in all the country. The recipients of the card would then have to prove that the money they spent was on basic food essentials. In Brazil it would be rice and brown beans.
On a personal note, the poverty in Brazil is apparent everywhere you go. The hunger is not. You have to look a little bit deeper. When I visited Bahia we were brought to the most lavish of areas. Salvador, in praticular, was the perfect combination of crystal clear water and poor. THIS photo describes what its like. When I see this picture I think nothing but utter happieness. Its hard to get a Brazilian down. However, look at the tires that are on the stairs. This is not a wealthy neighborhood. It makes me wonder if these boys have school or anything else. Anyway, from my experience in Bahia I learned that this is the place to be wary of everything. People steal constantly just to keep their heads above the water. We went to a very prestigeous beach and some children stole not only my backpack, but my friend's candy bar and french fries. They are in need of not only money, but FOOD!This is the first time I learned of there being a program to help the poverty class in Brazil. I do have hard time believing that this'll work. A lot of children are trained to steal so that they have food for their families at night. When we were finished looking through an open market in Salvador, the entire group of exchange students was bombarded by gypsies. Actual gypsies, can you believe that? After we had gotten through the 30 ladies dressed all in white we discovered wrist watches missing and wallets with no money. It was incredible. This leads me to believe that handing out money is not the answer. When the goverment gives out money instead of food, well, I think it'll be in the pocket of someone other then its benefactor by night fall.