favelas foster a particularly strong and enviable sense of community and solidarity.  people know their neighbors and often rely on help and support from one another. weekly churrascos (barbeques) visited by large numbers of friends, relatives and neighbors are a popular way to nurture community ties.

each favela has its own colorful history to tell, with memories of struggle and pain, but also of communal support, resilience and shared traditions, whcih have united residents in a way that is nothing short of exemplary.

another popular misconception is, that people only live in favelas for lack of alternatives. while this may be the case for some, many others have the financial means to relocate into more urbanized neighborhoods, but  remain in the communities where they grew up by choice, citing love for their district, family, and friends who live there.