Who are the people?
Brazilians are a culturally diverse people, deriving their way of life from the regions they inhabit. Just as their traditions are varied, so are the causes of their poverty.

Although Brazil is comprised of many races, most of its citizens are united by language and religion. Eighty-nine percent of Brazilians are Christian, and Portuguese is spoken throughout the country.

In rural areas, families often lack safe water, sanitation, and health services. World Vision helps such communities gain access to running water. It also provides preventative health care and trains local health care workers to teach parents about good nutrition, sanitation, and immunization.

World Vision also helps farmers to gain the tools and skills needed to earn an adequate income from their crops. Your sponsored child’s community may benefit from agricultural and job-skills training offered through these sponsorship projects. The programs help parents to provide food, clothing, and other essentials for their children by increasing household income.

In more urban areas, World Vision helps alleviate the suffering of street children and addresses issues such as child prostitution, drug abuse, and AIDS.
Brazilians are a culturally diverse people, deriving their way of life from the regions they inhabi

Country Comparison	Brazil	United States
Population	183.9 million	295.4 million
Land Mass	3,265,077 sq. miles	3,537,439 sq. miles
Life Expectancy	71 years	78 years
Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000)	32	7
Literacy Rate	88%	97%
Primary School Enrollment	95%	92%
Access to Safe Water	89%	100%
Average Annual Income (GNI per capita)	$3,090	$41,400

Religion

What is it like to live there?
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. Its climate is diverse, ranging from hot rainforests to arid plateaus to temperate regions with snowfall.

Northern Brazil receives heavy rainfall throughout the year. The water flows through tributaries to the Amazon River, which carries one-fifth of the world’s volume of fresh water. A few tribal groups inhabit the sparsely populated area, continuing to live in the same way their ancestors have for centuries.

The people of Brazil are culturally and racially diverse, tracing their roots to Portuguese colonists, African slaves (brought to Brazil between the 16th and 19th centuries), and indigenous tribes.

Portuguese is the country’s official language, though Italian and German are also commonly spoken.

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee, growing approximately one-quarter of the annual global harvest. Other important crops include sugarcane and rubber. Due to Brazil’s dependence on agricultural trade, changes in the world’s needs for its primary crops can severely impact its economy.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world. Its climate is d
Brazil Projects
With the support of generous donors like you, World Vision is partnering with families throughout Brazil to build brighter futures filled with hope for their children.

Many activities are under way to help meet immediate needs and promote lasting changes that will strengthen communities and move families toward self-reliance.

Overall program goals include:

• Providing supplementary food to needy children to improve their growth and development.
• Offering much needed medical care to ensure good health for the children.
• Providing ongoing training for teachers to enhance the quality of education for sponsored children.
• Teaching mothers about the importance of proper hygiene and nutrition.
• Establishing fish-breeding programs to provide families with nutritious food and additional income.
• Helping families start small businesses to provide financial stability and better care for their children.
• Providing young adults with training in trades such as carpentry, electronics, and sewing to prepare them for the workforce.
• Organizing Bible studies.

• Pray that your sponsored child might be open to God’s love and grace.
• Ask God to guide your sponsored child as he or she learns, grows, and moves toward a future full of hope and possibilities.
• Pray for God to protect the health of your sponsored child and his or her family.

Please click here to peruse online picture folders of children from this country.