Hands Together, Brazil
Lisa Kristine

There are nearly 4,000 favelas, or shanty towns, in Brazil. The first favela appeared on the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro more than a century ago. Despite numerous official attempts to eradicate these hand-built slums that house the poorest of the poor, they have grown and multiplied. Haphazardly built houses, squatting illegally on land owned by others, they lack the most basic facilities of water, sanitation or electricity. This young girl does not reflect the harshness of her surroundings in her face– yet.