Brazilian favelas are home to a predominantly young, black, working-class population with concrete plans for the future. At the same time, they face persistent structural challenges in areas ranging from education to security. This reality is highlighted in the Dreams of the Favela survey, conducted by Data Favela across Brazil’s five regions, with an emphasis on Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

The study is based on 4,471 responses collected from adults aged 18 and over, all residents of favelas, between December 11 and 16, 2025. The main objective is to invite the public and authorities to understand and address the neglect that affects life in favelas.

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Dignity and basic well-being are among the main aspirations. When projecting the future of their families into 2026, the desire for a better home leads the plans (31%), followed by the pursuit of quality healthcare (22%), children’s entry into university (12%), and food security (10%).

“We believe that mapping the thoughts, experiences, and lives of favela residents is, above all, an act of recognition and reparation. Favela is not just a ‘problem’ or a ‘statistic.’ It is also a space where collective intelligence, culture, entrepreneurship, innovation, and genuine strategies for prosperity exist,” said Cléo Santana, co-president of Data Favela.

“Listening to those who live in the favela every day shifts the center of the narrative: it’s not just about ‘talking,’ but about building data with people based on what they consider urgent, possible, and necessary. This directly impacts how public policies are designed, how companies relate to these audiences, and how the press portrays the peripheries,” she added.

Sociodemographic profile

The majority of respondents are adults aged 30 to 49 (58%). Young people aged 18 to 29 account for 25 percent, while those aged 50 and over make up 17 percent. Approximately 60 percent are women, and 75 percent of all respondents identify as heterosexual.

Approximately 80 percent of residents identify as either dark brown (49%) or black (33%). White respondents account for 15 percent.

Regarding education levels, 8 percent have completed primary education; 35 percent, secondary education; 11 percent, higher education; and 5 percent, postgraduate studies.

About 60 percent earn up to one minimum wage (BRL 1,621) per month. Following that, 27 percent earn up to BRL 3,040, while 15 percent earn above BRL 3,040.

Around three in ten reported having a formal job, 34 percent are informally employed (including those without formal contracts and those doing odd jobs), 17 percent are unemployed, and 8 percent are outside the labor force (including retirees and students).

Overall, 56 percent of respondents stated they do not receive any type of government benefit, such as cooking gas aid, retirement or pension from the National Social Security Institute (INSS), the social electricity tariff, or unemployment insurance. Among those who receive a benefit, the most cited is the income transfer program Bolsa Família/Auxílio Brasil (29%).

Territorial Infrastructure

Concerning territorial infrastructure, residents were asked about the main changes they would like to see in their communities by 2026. The most frequent responses were basic sanitation (26%), education (22%), healthcare (20%), transportation (13%), and the environment (7%).

In terms of sports, leisure, and cultural options in their communities, 35 percent of respondents rated them as bad or very bad, while 32 percent described them as average.

Challenges of race and gender

Approximately 50 percent of respondents stated that skin color impacts job opportunities, while 43 percent said it does not.

The main challenge women face within the favela is domestic violence and femicide, according to seven out of ten respondents, followed by difficulties with employment and income (43%) and support with childcare (37%).

When asked which public policies they consider most urgent for women, the most frequent responses were job placement programs (62%), educational campaigns against sexism (44%), police stations and services with 24-hour assistance (43%), and women’s health care (39%).

Public security

Favela residents were also asked which institutions they trust to protect them from violence. Responses included the Military Police (27%), Civil Police (11%), and their favela’s faction (7%). The option with the most votes, however, was “none of them” (36%).

As for police presence in the favela, researchers note a significant silence: 24 percent chose not to answer, while 25 percent said it does not affect their sense of security. Another 13 percent reported feeling fear and insecurity due to police presence, whereas 22 percent feel safer with policing in the area.

“A symbolic finding of the research is that their greatest desire is to be able to come and go freely (47%), showing that the future is still conceived from a perspective of survival and fear. Research like this acts as a megaphone, amplifying a voice the favela already has,” explains Cléo Santana, co-president of Data Favela.