# Capitalizing on Communications and Technology in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro. 

The internet has the potential to link low-income entrepreneurs with
consumers across the globe. Access to this technology alone, however, is
not enough. In the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, a dynamic partnership
between an NGO, Viva Rio, and a major media conglomerate, O Globo, is
successfully linking human and technological resources to poor
communities interested in using the world wide web to market their
products and bring positive attention to their communities.

**Viva Rio**.

Viva Rio is a dynamic NGO whose mission is to promote a culture of peace
and justice in Rio de Janeiro. To that end the organization works in the
areas of human rights, education, sports, environment and community
development. All together, Viva Rio works with close to 400 low-income
communities in 34 municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It also
has an innovative series of programs related to internet & technology,
micro-credit and fair trade that are proving extremely successful in
linking low-income communities to new markets.

Through its partnership with O Globo, Viva Rio has worked to bring
internet access to low-income communities through the installation of
"Future Stations" in favelas throughout the city. In addition to
providing low-income communities with internet access, Viva Rio
facilitates the exchange of information between the favelas and the
"internet community." Specifically the two partners are developing the
first websites to post articles written by and for low-income
communities. Leaders in the community send articles and information to
Globo.com reporters to be edited and put on the website,
[www.vivafavela.com](http://www.vivafavela.com/).

Viva Rio also provides a variety of credit and financial literacy
programs to micro-entrepreneurs and low-income community members.
VivaCred, Viva Rio's flagship credit program has provided over US\$5
million in low-interest loans. The VIVASEGURO program informs community
members about insurance and savings as well as providing life and health
insurance services.

Coupled with its efforts in technology and microenterprise development,
Viva Rio established a Fair Trade initiative. The initiative links
products made by low-income communities into national and international
markets. Business clients include Lojas Americanas, Hermes, and the
World Council of Churches. One of the most visible relationships the
initiative brokered in 1992 was with women micro-entrepreneurs. On
behalf of these women, Viva Rio negotiated a major contract for the
manufacture of T-shirts for the world's largest outdoor concert, Rock in
Rio, which was sponsored by O Globo.

**Viva Rio, O Globo and the IAF.**

In an effort to expand of the success of the Rio Rock Concert deal, the
IAF made a grant to Viva Rio to further develop the potential for
women-led sewing cooperatives. While Rio Rock was an enormous first
step, women clothing manufacturers continue to face obstacles in
managing their production in synch with seasonal demand for their
products. Viva Rio is now helping the marketing efforts of six women-led
sewing cooperatives through a dynamic partnership including the private
and public sectors that will develop a virtual store on the
[www.vivafavela.com](http://www.vivafavela.com/) website. The store will
sell products made in the favela communities. By opening these
entrepreneurs to the global markets rather than restricting them to
local ones, members of the sewing cooperatives as well as the larger
favela community will have a more stable source of income. The store
will also create the opportunity for these entrepreneurs to create a
network by which to bid for larger contracts. The site will use the
"VIVA RIO FAIR TRADE BRASIL" brand name for community made products.

Viva Rio realized that the sewing cooperatives would also need technical
assistance in order to grow with increased demand for their products. As
such, the grant will allow these sewing cooperatives to purchase
equipment and receive specific training. Ten industrial sewing machines
will be purchased to improve the quality of production. Courses in
marketing and business development will be given by Viva Rio. Based on
initial efforts under the grant, several retail shops have been opened
in local malls, airport kiosks and booths in outdoor fairs to sell
cooperative clothing and T-shirts.

Viva Rio is also tying in its "Future Stations" program by constructing
three new stations in low-income communities. These stations will act as
business centers providing a variety of computer and business management
classes. Additionally the stations will provide access to Viva Rio's
credit, insurance and commercialization services.

Finally, the IAF grant introduces a unique evaluation system that is
client driven and based on feedback. Focus groups will be conducted
where participants will provide their thoughts on whether the services
they are receiving are relevant and beneficial so that Viva Rio can then
better tailor the services offered to meet community member needs. This
type of marketing methodology applied to community development work is
revolutionary and illustrates the type of cross-over benefits that can
occur in multi-sector partnerships.

**O Globo.**

Globo Organizations (O Globo) is a media conglomerate owned by Roberto
Marinho and his family. It includes broadcast, cable and satellite TV
networks, newspapers, a publishing company, a radio network, and an
internet portal. Last year, the network boasted revenues in excess of
US\$2.5 billion. The company ranks among the top ten media companies in
the world.

The partnership between Viva Rio and O Globo demonstrates that
successful partnerships have both institutional and individual
commitments. The relationship between Viva Rio and Globo is a solid and
consistent one. The company, corporate foundation (Fundação Roberto
Marinho) and the founder and president, Roberto Marinho are committed to
the programs undertaken with Viva Rio. Specifically, O Globo has
supported the development and maintenance of the
[www.vivafavela.com](http://www.vivafavela.com/) site through its
internet company, Globo.com. In addition O Globo contributed over a
million dollars to the creation and maintenance of the vivafavela.com
website, and is contributing resources to the development of the virtual
store. Both Roberto Marinho and Margarida Ramos, Director of Social
Responsibility for Globo Organizations, are on Viva Rio's Board of
Directors. Likewise, the director of Viva Rio, Rubem Fernandes, is on
the Board of the Roberto Marinho Foundation. There is a consistent level
of communication and commitment between partners that greatly
facilitates collaboration on projects.

Both partners have benefited from their history of collaboration. Viva
Rio has increased visibility for its social campaigns as O Globo brings
well known personalities to Viva Rio events. For O Globo, Viva Rio is a
reference point in community development work, and the partnership is a
natural fit since the organizations share a common objective of
promoting a culture of peace and bettering the lives of members of
disadvantaged communities. It is also an efficient CSR program in that
it is closely related to O Globo's core business of communications. As a
result of the virtual store project, both Viva Rio and O Globo see new
opportunities for more mutually beneficial collaboration. A program to
allow community radio stations to formally spend time at O Globo radio
stations will provide exposure to professional broadcasting for favela
community members and improve local broadcast in the favelas;
additionally the exchange will introduce new broadcast material for O
Globo listeners.

**Lessons Learned:**

-   Partnerships are strongest when they have both institutional and
    individual commitments;

-   The strong relationship has allowed Viva Rio to capitalize on the
    company's media expertise by putting communications and technology
    to work for disadvantaged communities.

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  ***Juliana Menucci** works as a development communications consultant
  in Recife, Brazil, and is currently the IAF LLAS coordinator in Brazil.
  Formerly she worked as program assistant for Brazil and the Southern
  Cone at the IAF, as well as, a communications consultant on various
  international development communications projects.*

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