Pandemic deepens poverty, hunger in Brazil

Inflation, cuts in social services and unemployment have deepened poverty in Brazil, creating a major challenge for people who already struggle to make ends meet.

In Jardim Gramacho, a former landfill that houses a community without running water and electricity, residents root through for scraps to sell to earn money for daily necessities. Government figures show as many as 60% of Brazilians don't have enough to eat, due to the COVID-19 economic crisis and cuts in social programs.

Since the beginning of 2021, the average price of cooking gas has increased by 30%, according to the National Petroleum Association. now, a single gas cylinder is worth more than a tenth of the monthly minimum wage in Brazil. The increase in gas prices has pushed some people to rely on firewood to cook.