According to recent reports from the Non-Governmental Organization Noor’Fatima, which distributes meals to homeless people in Portugal, there has been a considerable increase in the presence of people of this nationality in the last year. Says Rita Borges, an active volunteer at the NGO.
“There are individuals who, despite being employed, are unable to pay their rent and, therefore, despite working, live in precarious situations”, highlights Rita, calling for greater visibility of this social problem.
Brazilians report fear and shame
A DW report highlighted this issue by finding several Brazilians in such a situation. However, many avoided cameras and interview recordings. Some justifications point to the fear of what their families in Brazil might think about the situation.
These people, including young people, stated that they had sought new opportunities in Portugal, but ended up finding it difficult to find work or even jobs with insufficient salaries to cover basic needs such as food and housing.
Increase in housing values affects population
Portugal has become a symbol of a crisis in Europe due to the spike in housing prices, especially in large urban centers, which makes the situation of people looking for work even more vulnerable.
“I got here paying 200 euros for a room. Then it went up to 300, and now it’s 400. It’s half my salary. There’s no way I can pay 50% of my salary to sleep in a shared room”, reports Andreia Machado da Costa, a carpenter who chose to live in a camp to save money.
Brazilians camping in search of better conditions
Andreia and many other Brazilians followed suit and created camps in wooded regions, living in tent communities.
But not everyone sees this lifestyle as a permanent solution. Many only plan to save enough to return to Brazil, as is the case of caregiver Marciele Botin de Pinho, who left a six-year-old son in Brazil.
“I just wanted to save money to go back. I really want to go back to Brazil. Many. Every day”, reveals Marciele.
However, with the increasing difficulty of finding work and rising housing costs, this continues to be a harsh reality for many Brazilians in Portugal.
