Brazil celebrates 10th anniversary of Bolsa Familia

November 8, 2013

Brazil is celebrating a decade of a social programme Bolsa Familia (Family Grant) that has lifted 50 million people out of poverty and inspired policies in more than 20 nations including India. On this occasion, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has pledged to continue the direct cash transfer scheme until poverty is eradicated from Brazil.

Bolsa Familia (Family Grant or Family Allowance)

It is a social welfare program of the Brazilian government, part of the Fome Zero network of federal assistance programs. The program provides financial assistance to poor Brazilian families; if they have children, families must ensure that the infants attend school and are vaccinated.

Objective of Bolsa Familia:

The program aims to both reduce short-term poverty by direct cash transfers and fight long-term poverty by increasing human capital among the poor through conditional cash transfers. It also works to give free education to children who cannot afford to go to school to show the importance of education.

Scheme of Bolsa Familia:

Through this scheme, the government gives families with per-capita monthly income below poverty line ($56) a monthly stipend of $13 per vaccinated child (< 16 years old) attending school (up to 5), and $15 per youth (16 or 17 years old) attending school (up to 2). In addition to these, to families whose per-capita monthly income below extreme poverty line $28, the program provides the Basic Benefit $ 30 per month. This money is given preferentially to a female head of household, through so-called Citizen Cards which are mailed to the family. This card operates like a debit card. The program spends $12 billion on 14 million families.

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