Philanthropy beyond the major cities

We live in the fifth largest country in the world, with an area of ​​over 8.5 million square kilometers and a population that has already exceeded 213 million inhabitants, according to estimates from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). These are diverse socioeconomic realities that demand targeted actions. 

Looking in every corner of this country to help people in vulnerable situations is a real challenge, especially in promoting actions that cross the urban boundaries of the main capitals and reach those who need it most. The average per capita in Brazil in 2019 was R$ 1,406. While the North and Northeast regions had an average of R$ 872 and R$ 884, respectively, in the South (R$ 1,701) and Southeast (R$ 1,720) this value was almost double.

The difficulties also appear when we look at essential services. The 2019 Basic Sanitation Ranking by the Trata Brasil Institute shows that around 35 million Brazilians do not have treated water and almost half (47.6%) do not have sewage collection – totaling 100 million people. A large portion of the population is exposed to diseases, with only 46% of sewage treated.

To ensure that philanthropy reaches the most vulnerable populations in over 5,500 municipalities across Brazil, it is necessary to give prominence to actors who are essential in this journey: social organizations, especially those that work directly at the grassroots level. Aid must reach everyone, everywhere, whether it be the impoverished population living marginalized in large cities or in remote rural areas.

What are the main needs in these different situations? What initiatives could be effective and help the greatest number of people efficiently? How many people need how much help? 

These are some of the questions we need to find answers to, which will only be possible with the help of people who work in the territories, in the communities, who know the real and most urgent difficulties, and who are the legitimate representatives of the demands. These social agents are the ones who can identify the main areas of need and assess the interventions necessary to transform the lives of the people in their region.

When philanthropic initiatives fail to consider these realities, they are often determined through the lens of an outsider, someone unfamiliar with the nuances of the landscape and the local culture and all its implications. This reduces the chances of achieving good solutions and risks leading to misguided actions that, besides failing to solve the problems at hand, may create new ones.

A very interesting model is one that creates a network through the formation of alliances between co-investors and organizations that are based in the territory and have legitimate local representation. No one is better suited than the person who experiences the day-to-day reality to point out how to use resources more efficiently and achieve greater benefits, because they will also be there, interacting with their peers and seeking the same results.

This article was originally published on the website of the newspaper O Povo.

Image Credit: Press Release/MBM