Brazilian Favelas Witness Surge in Start-up Creation
In the heart of Rio de Janeiro's southern zone, the labyrinthine favela of Rocinha poses a challenge for the official postal service due to its narrow alleys and informal housing without official addresses. This has left 66,000 residents without regular mail delivery. However, a grassroots solution, "Carteiro Amigo," steps in to fill the gap.
Launched in 2000 by three residents, Carlos Pedro, Elaine Ramos, and Sila Viera, "Carteiro Amigo" is an informal postal delivery network that operates in Rocinha and other favelas. The service employs 20 delivery agents who know the labyrinthine alleys and informal housing layouts well. They collect and deliver letters and packages, often relying on simple location descriptions, landmarks, and face-to-face communication to reach recipients without formal addresses.
The service offers residents a monthly subscription to receive their mail at a pick-up point set up at the entrance of the slum, accessible to public service vehicles. Delivery agents distribute letters on foot or by motorcycle until they reach their clients' doorsteps.
According to a study by the Getulio Vargas Foundation, only 33.9% of Rocinha's residents receive mail on average. This isolation led to the creation of "Carteiro Amigo," which now has 2,000 clients. The service operates in addition to the postal service that rarely delivers mail in the favelas.
In 2017, Carlos Pedro Junior, son of two of the founders, took over the reins of "Carteiro Amigo." The service currently operates in three locations: Rocinha, Cidade de Deus, and Rio das Pedras.
Despite the challenges posed by the favela's layout, "Carteiro Amigo" is a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of its community. It provides a much-needed service, ensuring that residents remain connected to the outside world, even in the absence of a formal postal delivery system.
In 2000, the informal postal delivery network "Carteiro Amigo" was launched by three residents of the Rocinha favela, catering to the lifestyle needs of the community by bridging the gap in finance and business sectors, offering a solution to the lack of regular mail delivery. The service, now managed by Carlos Pedro Junior, operates in three locations, including Rocinha, Cidade de Deus, and Rio das Pedras, relying on technology such as simple location descriptions, landmarks, and face-to-face communication, to deliver letters and packages.
