The Brazilian Children's Charity is needed! Here is a video of some of the people the B.C.C. is helps - sleeping just blocks from Copacabana beach, wrapped under blankets, under trash receptors or trucks. Eventually, waking up, stretching and picking up the bedding from the night before... The rest of the city oblivious to another voice lost in the chaos that is the asphalt jungle of Rio. Then, we pan to the famous Copacabana beach, where one of our families live on the fringe of society, but yet so close... The child plays innocently as Rio passes by, carefree to the sad reality the future holds. This is why the B.C.C. exists - to save the people that are forgotten!
Interviews with people the B.C.C. is helping
IMPORTANT NOTE: We are in the process of subtitling our B.C.C. client videos into English and will finish on 06/30/2011. We apologize for the delay, which is due to difficulties in translating our videos. Thank you for your continued patience... In the mean time, feel free to view our untranslated videos as they are already very powerful (even without an understanding of the Portuguese language.)
In the introduction of the following video series, a client digs a hole to hide the family's belongings. In another frame, you notice another group busy folding the bedding from the night before to hide in the hole. The city (Prefeitura) force the families to leave the safety of the beach during daylight hours. To prevent robbery by other street people or the police, or the destruction of their belongings by the Prefeitura of the city of Rio, the family buries their belongings every morning and again at night in the sand on Copacabana beach. To prevent discovery, they are forced to change the burial spots on a daily basis. Sometimes, the Prefeitura arrives with vans to remove the residents and with a garbage truck to remove their belongings. Naturally, they never see their belongings again. In the final installment of the B.C.C. video series, you can watch as people fill these holes with their possessions. Also, notice how (in the background) the Prefeitura of Rio tractor (with the orange sail) drives by just feet from their "home"! The B.C.C. provides a safe environment to discuss these traumas. Please, support our cause - save the children of Brazil!
Clients Discuss Living on Copacabana Beach and Assistance Is Provided by No One
The following is an interview with a B.C.C. couple who live on Copacabana beach. The video is about living on the beach, and how no one helps them. They claim that the Prefeitura takes pictures of them to place in a data base for future reference. The Prefeitura also steals their clothes and other belongings and does not offer any assistance. There are private citizens who bring them food, sometimes someone who lives nearby, at times a restaurant owner. We also discuss how cold it is at night, and, amazingly, watch how the couple manages to laugh and smile! This is why the B.C.C. exists! The possibility of hope!
Client Discusses Being Raped, Going to School without Clothes and Selling Her Child to a "Gringo"
Interview with a client: Here, a client discusses why she ran away from home to begin a life on the street. Warning: this interview is graphic as she goes into details of being beaten and raped. She also goes on to explain that she does not use drugs and merely wants to live in a safe environment where she may raise her child. She receives money from the Government (as she has a child) and wanted to go back to school, but had no clothes! The government did not provide clothes, food or shelter. Without clothes, she was so embarrassed that she chose not to return to her studies - she has a sixth grade education. Also, she discusses how the Government suggested that she sell her child to "Gringos" for the money... Verypowerful stuff!
Client Discusses Desire to Receive Psychological Services and the Prefeitura Only Provides Drugs
In this interview with a client on Copacabana Beach, she speaks about psychiatric services. What has been her experience with the psychological services offered in Rio? She does not want any more psychiatric assistance! She discusses how the government has only provided drugs (Diazepam - a "downer") as assistance. She continues saying she did not request any psychiatric assistance and would have preferred psychological help. The B.C.C. provides this assistance! When all else is lost, the B.C.C. is there!
Client Discusses the Promises Not Kept by the Government and Corruption in the Prefeitura
In this interview, we discuss the lack of support from the Prefeitura of the city of Rio. The clients talk about how the Government had promised employment, shelter and food and how none of these promises have ever materialized. As there is no way out of this life, people attempt to earn a living selling goods (handmade merchandise, tourist knick-knacks, umbrellas, etc.) on the street. Now, due to the laws imposed by the new Mayor, the Prefeitura confiscates the goods of the street vendors. Worse still, after the merchandise is taken it doesn't make it to a Government storage depot, but, instead the "Guard Municipal" (the Government Officers responsible for keeping the peace at the street level) try to re-sell the wares to the vendor!. If their price is not met, they sell them to the highest bidder. Even worse, the food that is supplied by the Government to the Prefeitura stations (Postos) and meant for the consumption by the less fortunate never makes it to their mouths! The same Guarda Municipal divide the fruits, vegetables, starches, and proteins and take them home to their families! A sad reality of life living on the beach. The B.C.C. provides the psychological assistance needed while weathering these trying hardships...
Clients Bury their Belongings in the Sand and Discuss their Alarm-clock - the Family Dog!
Interview with a client: Here a client explains what he does with his and his family's belongings during the day and night. To prevent robbery by other street people or the police or the destruction of their belongings by the Prefeitura of the city of Rio, the family buries their belongings every morning and again at night in the sand on Copacabana beach. You watch as they fold up their belongings and put them into holes for safe keeping! To prevent discovery, they are forced to change the burial spots on a daily basis. They also discuss how the family dog (shown twice in the video) acts as their alarm clock, i.e. wakes them up if someone is trying to attack or rob them! Powerful!!!