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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rio shanty town reporter tells her story | Rio shanty town reporter tells her story |
| (1 day later) | |
| Mayra Avellar BBC World Service citizen journalist Mayra finds damage left by gunfire all around the shanty town | Mayra Avellar BBC World Service citizen journalist Mayra finds damage left by gunfire all around the shanty town |
| I am 17 years old and live in Vila Cruzeiro, one of the shanty towns or favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. | |
| In 2008, Desmond Tutu awarded me the International Children's Peace Prize for organising a protest against the frequent shoot-outs between police and drug traffickers in my community. | In 2008, Desmond Tutu awarded me the International Children's Peace Prize for organising a protest against the frequent shoot-outs between police and drug traffickers in my community. |
| Vila Cruzeiro is in the north of the city. | Vila Cruzeiro is in the north of the city. |
| Around 120,000 people live here and at times it can be a difficult place because of the violence. It hits us when we least expect it. | Around 120,000 people live here and at times it can be a difficult place because of the violence. It hits us when we least expect it. |
| We are not able to do anything. We cannot go to school, people cannot go to work and we have to stop our lives. | We are not able to do anything. We cannot go to school, people cannot go to work and we have to stop our lives. |
| School life | School life |
| Violent confrontations often happen next to one of the schools in the middle of Vila Cruzeiro. There are bullet holes in the walls. | Violent confrontations often happen next to one of the schools in the middle of Vila Cruzeiro. There are bullet holes in the walls. |
| There have been times when armoured police cars have stopped beside the school and shooting has broken out from all sides. | There have been times when armoured police cars have stopped beside the school and shooting has broken out from all sides. |
| A bullet entered through the window of my house and hit my computer Nathan, aged nine | A bullet entered through the window of my house and hit my computer Nathan, aged nine |
| Regina is a teacher who has worked here for 28 years. | Regina is a teacher who has worked here for 28 years. |
| She says she loves what she does, but adds: "When the violence happens it is very intense. Teachers feel ill, children feel ill and sometimes faint. | She says she loves what she does, but adds: "When the violence happens it is very intense. Teachers feel ill, children feel ill and sometimes faint. |
| "It interferes with the children's learning. | "It interferes with the children's learning. |
| "Thank God nothing has ever happened to any of the students in the school, but there are bullet holes on the walls." | "Thank God nothing has ever happened to any of the students in the school, but there are bullet holes on the walls." |
| Zaira Florinda Costa da Cruz has been a teacher in the favela for 10 years. | Zaira Florinda Costa da Cruz has been a teacher in the favela for 10 years. |
| She says it is very difficult to find teachers to work there because they hear from the media that the place is worse than it is. | She says it is very difficult to find teachers to work there because they hear from the media that the place is worse than it is. |
| "I work in another school and there they ask me how I have the courage to work here in Vila Cruzeiro," she says. | "I work in another school and there they ask me how I have the courage to work here in Vila Cruzeiro," she says. |
| "I tell them I love working in that school, the children respect me." | "I tell them I love working in that school, the children respect me." |
| Children's view | Children's view |
| Leone is 10 years old. She says she likes living in the favela but does not like the shootings. | |
| "I saw a friend of mine get shot and then get taken to hospital," says Leone. | "I saw a friend of mine get shot and then get taken to hospital," says Leone. |
| Brazil has invested 100bn reais (£30bn) to improve life in the favelas | Brazil has invested 100bn reais (£30bn) to improve life in the favelas |
| She says she feels sad when her school has to close because she cannot study. | She says she feels sad when her school has to close because she cannot study. |
| "There are a lot of people who can't read and write because of the shootings here," she says. | "There are a lot of people who can't read and write because of the shootings here," she says. |
| "Nobody can learn anything." | "Nobody can learn anything." |
| Nathan Bezarra da Costa is nine years old and also lives in Vila Cruzeiro. | |
| He worries about the violence and was once caught up in a street battle between police and drug dealers. | He worries about the violence and was once caught up in a street battle between police and drug dealers. |
| "There was shooting and a bullet entered through the window of my house and hit my computer. I was crying," he says. | "There was shooting and a bullet entered through the window of my house and hit my computer. I was crying," he says. |
| He now lives with his grandmother because he says her house is hidden and he feels he will be protected from bullets there. | He now lives with his grandmother because he says her house is hidden and he feels he will be protected from bullets there. |
| I believe that society stigmatises us. | I believe that society stigmatises us. |
| Some people think that everyone who lives here is a drug dealer but this is not true. | Some people think that everyone who lives here is a drug dealer but this is not true. |
| People here work, they study and they only want a better place to live. | People here work, they study and they only want a better place to live. |