The project, called “Mental Health in the Outskirts, How are we Doing?”, of the Favelas News Agency (ANF), was one of the winning projects of the public call issued by Fiocruz to help civil society organization in the fight against Covid-19 in the favelas. The initiative proposes psychological support for women who are victims of violence and will be working in three fronts: psychotherapeutic support, research, and communication.

The first axis helps women from the favelas who are in a vulnerable situation. The second will be mapping the mental health of the population in these terroritories, having a direct impact on the basic structure of rights (health, education and safety), worsened by the pandemic. The third will focus on helping raise awareness regarding the protection of women and aim to reduce cases of violence against women.

The communities involved are: Jacarezinho, Prazeres, Providência, Cidade de Deus, Pavão-Pavãozinho and Mangueira. 

Emergency Actions against Covid-19 in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro

The Public Call for the Support of Emergency Actions against Covid-19 in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro was launched in March 2021, with the goal of helping mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the populations of the favelas in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

There were 270 proposals for 41 municipalities of the state, of which more than 100 were approved. The calls are yet another Fiocruz contribution to reduce the social inequalities that had an effect on the pandemic, especially in vulnerable territories.

Fiotec is responsible for sending over resources to the selected projects and also for supporting the administrative and financial management of the Call.

The resources that will be invested come from Law No. 8.972/20, from the Special Fund of Alerj, sent to Fiocruz. These resources are the result of an inter-institutional effort involving UFRJ, UERJ, PUC-Rio, SBPC, Abrasco, Fiocruz, unions of health workers and of social workers, as well as organizations with headquarters in the favelas. Together, these agencies came up with the Action Plan to Fight Covid-19 in the favelas in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

*With information from the Favelas News Agency (ANF).