curator of the 13 th Brazilian Biennial of Graphic Design (ADG Brasil, 2019)
Professor of Brand Management at PUC Minas University’s Post Baccalaureate program
Brazil’s slums (favelas) are the outcome of unequal wealth distribution and a lack of affordable housing.
A project was begun in Belo Horizonte, one of Brazil’s largest cities and home of the country’s third largest slum, to address this phenomenon.
Fa.vela is Brazil’s first favela-based business accelerator. Through acceleration programs/projects that focus on social, environmental, and economic influences, the project aims to create an entrepreneurial, technological, and innovation-conducive ecosystem for low-income communities.
Fa.vela’s “Design Meets The Corre” project began in 2016 with the aim of creating a “visual identity” for businesses operated in these slums. It provided funding and other types of support for the creation/growth of brands.
Several of Belo Horizonte’s most prominent designers, all of whom participated in the project pro bono, designed new brands and logos for approximately 90 favela businesses, including beauty parlors, music schools, and cafés. A total of 167 experts participated in this project, which is still underway, which has since created 598 jobs.
As an example of real change in the favela(slums) through design, this project has succeeded in building a better social environment through business incubation. It's a lively and informative project.