This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36216987
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| If Rousseff goes will 47 million Brazilians lose their benefits? | If Rousseff goes will 47 million Brazilians lose their benefits? |
| (1 day later) | |
| Mother-of-six Ana Rita de Jesus is worried about the future of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff. | Mother-of-six Ana Rita de Jesus is worried about the future of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff. |
| She works in a women's pottery co-operative in the secluded rural community of Itamatatiua, in the Northeast state of Maranhao. | |
| "I saw on television that they want to remove Dilma from power and end the Bolsa Familia programme," she tells me. | "I saw on television that they want to remove Dilma from power and end the Bolsa Familia programme," she tells me. |
| "If that happens, I might have to move to a bigger city, because there are no paying jobs here." | "If that happens, I might have to move to a bigger city, because there are no paying jobs here." |
| Bolsa Familia is the world's largest cash-transfer programme. A total of 47 million Brazilians - almost a quarter of the population - receive money from it on a monthly basis. | Bolsa Familia is the world's largest cash-transfer programme. A total of 47 million Brazilians - almost a quarter of the population - receive money from it on a monthly basis. |
| It was introduced in 2003 when the Workers' Party came to power under the former president, Lula da Silva. | It was introduced in 2003 when the Workers' Party came to power under the former president, Lula da Silva. |
| Without it, Ana Rita de Jesus says she would be in extreme poverty, even with the wage she gets from her day job at the co-operative. | |
| Her monthly income hovers around 65 reais ($18; £12) and this depends on the how many pottery pieces the cooperative sells. | Her monthly income hovers around 65 reais ($18; £12) and this depends on the how many pottery pieces the cooperative sells. |
| But from Bolsa Familia, she gets 237 reais. | But from Bolsa Familia, she gets 237 reais. |
| Proper houses | Proper houses |
| Her entire community of Itamatatiua has been transformed by the social programme. Up until the last decade, local life was marked by extreme poverty and subsistence. | Her entire community of Itamatatiua has been transformed by the social programme. Up until the last decade, local life was marked by extreme poverty and subsistence. |
| "After former President Lula de Silva came to power, our community got a lot better," says local leader Neide de Jesus. | |
| "Back then, our money was not enough for us to buy things - we had just enough to eat. | "Back then, our money was not enough for us to buy things - we had just enough to eat. |
| "Today people here have refrigerators, ovens, televisions. We started studying and having proper houses." | "Today people here have refrigerators, ovens, televisions. We started studying and having proper houses." |
| The hot topic in the pottery co-operative is the future of Bolsa Familia. | |
| Families who are below the poverty line, which in Brazil is 164 reais a month, get an average monthly income from the government of 176 reais. | Families who are below the poverty line, which in Brazil is 164 reais a month, get an average monthly income from the government of 176 reais. |
| In return, mothers are expected to keep all their children in school with an attendance record of at least 85%, and with all vaccinations up to date. | |
| There are no requirements for childless families who fall below the poverty line. | There are no requirements for childless families who fall below the poverty line. |
| Spending cuts | Spending cuts |
| To tackle Brazil's worst recession in over two decades, President Rousseff had been promoting deep cuts in government spending over the past year. | To tackle Brazil's worst recession in over two decades, President Rousseff had been promoting deep cuts in government spending over the past year. |
| Despite these, she went out of her way to protect Bolsa Familia and other social programmes. | Despite these, she went out of her way to protect Bolsa Familia and other social programmes. |
| In fact, Ms Rousseff claims that some of the alleged fiscal crimes she is accused of in her impeachment process were procedures intended to protect social programmes from drastic spending cuts. | In fact, Ms Rousseff claims that some of the alleged fiscal crimes she is accused of in her impeachment process were procedures intended to protect social programmes from drastic spending cuts. |
| Earlier this month she told crowds that Vice-President Michel Temer would remove 36 million people from the programme and "throw them into the free market, forcing the poor to fend for themselves". | Earlier this month she told crowds that Vice-President Michel Temer would remove 36 million people from the programme and "throw them into the free market, forcing the poor to fend for themselves". |
| One of her last moves was to raise the Bolsa Familia benefit by 9%, and to change the financial definition of poverty, to bring more people into the scheme. | One of her last moves was to raise the Bolsa Familia benefit by 9%, and to change the financial definition of poverty, to bring more people into the scheme. |
| Ms Rousseff's speech struck a chord with women in Itamatatiua and across Brazil. They fear that under Mr Temer's rule their benefits might be cut. | Ms Rousseff's speech struck a chord with women in Itamatatiua and across Brazil. They fear that under Mr Temer's rule their benefits might be cut. |
| The pottery co-operative makes on average $225 (£155) a month, which is split between its 12 members. | |
| Success and failure | Success and failure |
| But most women here do not make the bulk of their income from the co-operative. | |
| Keeping children in school is more lucrative than running a business or even getting a job, when they can find one. | Keeping children in school is more lucrative than running a business or even getting a job, when they can find one. |
| Itamatatiua is one of the 207 small communities in Alcantara, a very poor city in Maranhao state, that highlights the successes and failures of Bolsa Familia. | Itamatatiua is one of the 207 small communities in Alcantara, a very poor city in Maranhao state, that highlights the successes and failures of Bolsa Familia. |
| The city has a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.573, which means there is a low standard of living. Even so, it has improved its score by 40% over the course of the decade. | |
| The small communities now have roads connecting them to the city centre. | The small communities now have roads connecting them to the city centre. |
| Another social programme (Minha Casa, Minha Vida) implemented by the Workers' Party built brick-and-mortar houses where mud and straw ones used to stand. | |
| But despite all improvements, the local economy has come to depend heavily on money that comes from the federal budget. | But despite all improvements, the local economy has come to depend heavily on money that comes from the federal budget. |
| In a city of 21,000 residents, a staggering 78% receive money from Bolsa Familia. On payment week, there are long queues outside the payment centre from the early hours until closing time. | |
| Job search | Job search |
| Some of the women I met wanted better standards of living but could not find jobs. | Some of the women I met wanted better standards of living but could not find jobs. |
| Many simply gave up on the idea of working, and found themselves better off by having children and living on welfare. | Many simply gave up on the idea of working, and found themselves better off by having children and living on welfare. |
| Alcantara's mayor Domingos Araken, from Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party, acknowledges that even after 13 years of Bolsa Familia, the town has so far failed to build a self-sustaining economy. | Alcantara's mayor Domingos Araken, from Ms Rousseff's Workers' Party, acknowledges that even after 13 years of Bolsa Familia, the town has so far failed to build a self-sustaining economy. |
| "Over the years we didn't get our economy going on its own feet - but the social programmes allowed us to spend a lot more on infrastructure, such as roads and houses, and invest in education. | "Over the years we didn't get our economy going on its own feet - but the social programmes allowed us to spend a lot more on infrastructure, such as roads and houses, and invest in education. |
| "Hopefully all that will pay off now and we won't depend so much on Bolsa Familia in the future." | "Hopefully all that will pay off now and we won't depend so much on Bolsa Familia in the future." |
| He believes that cuts to the programme will force thousands to migrate to bigger urban centres, in search of work. | |
| Budget deficits | Budget deficits |
| The future of Bolsa Familia is a challenge for Brazilian society and its new president. | The future of Bolsa Familia is a challenge for Brazilian society and its new president. |
| The Workers' Party says it has helped lift 36 million people out of poverty and has drastically reduced inequality. | The Workers' Party says it has helped lift 36 million people out of poverty and has drastically reduced inequality. |
| The programme has earned plaudits from the World Bank and has been copied in many other places. | The programme has earned plaudits from the World Bank and has been copied in many other places. |
| Yet Brazil is running high budget deficits and its public debt is on an unsustainable course. | |
| With a deepening recession, tax increases no longer seem viable and the government is cutting spending where it can. | With a deepening recession, tax increases no longer seem viable and the government is cutting spending where it can. |
| Future concerns | Future concerns |
| Mr Temer and people around him have signalled that Bolsa Familia still ranks high in his list of priorities, but has said that no social programmes are immune to cuts. | Mr Temer and people around him have signalled that Bolsa Familia still ranks high in his list of priorities, but has said that no social programmes are immune to cuts. |
| After a decade of benefiting from Brazil's economic emergence, families in many poor communities across the country like Itamatatiua now fear their fates may be about to change. | After a decade of benefiting from Brazil's economic emergence, families in many poor communities across the country like Itamatatiua now fear their fates may be about to change. |
| Back in her pottery co-operative, Ana Rita de Jesus does not believe her wage will be enough for her to make it on her own. | |
| "I need the money from the government. It is not every day that we get to sell our pottery pieces. But I know that I can count on Bolsa Familia every month." | "I need the money from the government. It is not every day that we get to sell our pottery pieces. But I know that I can count on Bolsa Familia every month." |