Anne never got a bad grade: "This is the only way to retribute what my mother does for me"

Maybe can be hard to believe that at somewhere there are families that must decide between feed themselves or send a son or daughter to school. But it happens.

In Brazil, in the past, public school had quality. It helped poor people on improving their lives. Along time, it had becomes different. Government abandoned public education.

So, for the poor, there was just a strange alternative to get a minimum quality education: to feed, or go for the private school, using sometimes 50% of their income.

The cooker José Alexandre Rosa, 37 years old, for instance, fights to keep his daughter Rafaela Gomes, 8 years old, on a little private school, on the poor community inside Rio de Janeiro whereas they live, Cidade de Deus. He works on two jobs. Half of his incomes goes for daughter education: US$ 30 for the school, US$ 10 com aulas particulares de reforço and US$ 40 for a model and actors course. He believes that his sacrifice is justified: "It´s beautiful to see her eyes brighting with her dreams."

The maiden Maria José Fernandes da Silva, 45 years old, has a monthly income of US$ 150. Her income isn´t almost enough for surveillance, ut her daughter, Anne, 16 years old, always studied on a private school. "I´ve studied only until 4th grade. I wanna that she has a better live than me." Maria decided to keep her daughter on private school, despite costs, because daughter days on public school were hard. "Anyway, I´ll fight to keep her on praivate school." Cut expenses with underwear and food was the solution, until now. "Sometimes there´s no food on the frozen", says Maria. But she says proudly: "She never got any bad grade". Anne completes: "This is the only way to retribute what my mother does for me."

Adapted from www.vivafavela.com.br / Dayse Lara, Verônica Fraga

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