Brazil, which has the world’s 12th largest economy and vibrant economic centers in its major southern cities, also has the fourth largest disparity between rich and poor among the nations, and the largest inequality of wealth outside of Africa. Twenty-one million children in Brazil live in absolute poverty and are vulnerable to exploitation.
To break this cycle, USAID’s Prevention Oriented towards At-Risk Boys and Girls Program worked from 1994 to 2004 and sponsored a wide variety of activities to assist at-risk children and youth. Activities included caring for children with AIDS; eradicating child labor; returning children to the formal education system; providing technical training and job placement; assisting AIDS prevention; assisting victims of physical abuse and sexual exploitation; supporting street kids; and a host of other initiatives designed to address the root causes of poverty and social exclusion.