Eyewitness report from Brazil (1)

Tony Sheen with Janaina Cristina Da Silva

CAFOD's representative in Westminster Diocese, Tony Sheen, is currently in Brazil visiting partner projects in the country. He will be sending regular reports throughout his trip. Tony writes:

I arrived safely in San Paulo on Tuesday after all night flight and was picked up at the airport by Sueli, our partner from MDF (Movimento de Defensa do Favelas). I was soon welcomed into the house of the Spiritan religious order, also known as the Holy Ghost Fathers. The Spiritans are long standing CAFOD Partners and Fr Pat Clarke, of the order, founded MDF in 1976. Our house is in an area of San Paulo called Belenzinho, which translates as "Little Bethlehem". I am very grateful to the community for their hospitality.

São Paulo is South America's largest city, where over two million people live in shanty towns. Many families share just one room, with no proper sewerage, running water or electricity. Tackling poverty in cities is a major focus of CAFOD's work in Brazil, which began in 1968. With partners such as MDF, CAFOD is working on both addressing people's basic needs and also tackling underlying causes of poverty, pushing the government to take responsibility for its citizens.

Many parishes and Schools in England and Wales have been made aware of the conditions in São Paulo's favelas or shanty towns through the CAFOD connect2 scheme, and have sent messages of solidarity to our partners and the people they work with. This morning I presented Sueli with a medal from St Columba's Secondary School in Hertfordshire and a short DVD with messages of support. Sueli was very moved to watch the video and to receive the message of solidarity sent. I am looking forward to visiting the CAFOD connect2 communities in the coming days as well as joining Sueli and other CAFOD Partners on the Martyrs Pilgrimage which starts this Thursday.

In the afternoon we were collected by Osmar, from CAFOD Partner APOIO, who is co-ordinator of their Urban Programme. I learned how they have achieved much through their advocacy work, through which they are providing support to vulnerable people and communities across San Paulo. As a direct result of our support, APOIO has been able to ensure that communities and individuals are able to benefit from social policies and gain access to social housing.

I first met Janaina Cristina Da Silva in 2006, when I last visited Brazil. She is now 25 years old. She told me: "In 2002 I lived in a tenement block housing and had health problems. I also lived on the streets. Thanks to CAFOD and APOIO, I am about to graduate as a teacher and will work in Maua doing popular education and running courses for the community. If it wasn't for this support, I'd still be on the streets."

Over the next few days I will be visiting one of the 30 night shelters, which APOIO runs providing shelter for 3,000 people who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets of San Paulo.