1. ART AND LITERATURE

Favelas are home to some of Rio's most violent drug gangs, but they are also home to some of the city's most pleasant, creative, and ingenious residents. Favelas were originally made up of shacks constructed out of scrap metal, wood, or other materials. They arose as a result of a scarcity of cheap housing, which drove impoverished residents to the outskirts of cities. However, for many Americans and even Brazilians, the exchange of art and literature between Brazil and the United States has shed light on the surroundings and lifestyle of the Favelas. The employment of various artistic forms has raised awareness of the Favelas' realities.

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2. CULTURE & HISTORY

Favelas are magnificent sites for the production of culture; they help Rio de Janeiro's culture thrive. Interactions that weave an extensive tapestry of sociability, faith, and humanism take place in their streets, narrow roads, and small squares. Everyday hope is transformed into culture via the combination of art and life. There are no big structures, and the city's landscape is dominated by Favelas. However, as we get closer to them, a variety of technologies and activities that provide purpose to human existence become more prominent. Historically, Providência, Rio's oldest Favela, was created in 1897, lesser than a decade after slavery was abolished, in the Port region, which had received two million enslaved Africans.

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3. INFRASTRUCTURE

95% of Favela houses are made out of brick, concrete, and reinforced steel and 75% have tile floors. Without the help of the government, residents invested decades of hard work and money in the building and consolidation of their homes. Inside, you'll find not just the essentials of power, running water, and indoor plumbing, but also a large-screen television and, in more than 44% of cases, a computer. Because of the growing availability of computers and other technology, nine out of 10 residents under the age of 30 could access the Internet in 2012.