Minister Simone Tebet was in the largest favela in SP to encourage residents to answer the Census - Photo: IBGE collection

In yet another demonstration of support for the Census and appreciation for the IBGE, the Minister of Planning and Budget, Simone Tebet, attended the national mobilization action Favela no Mapa (Favela on the Map), held over the weekend, in partnership with the Central Única das Favelas (Cufa) and Data Favela. She went to Heliópolis (SP) over the weekend, where she met with the acting president of the IBGE, Cimar Azeredo, the president of Cufa, Preto Zezé, and the founder of Data Favela, Renato Meirelles. In 20 states, the unprecedented joint initiative seeks to open ways and doors for the IBGE to advance with the census operation in the communities and reduce the percentage of non-responses in the so-called subnormal agglomerates.

At 10:30 am on Saturday (March 25), Minister Simone Tebet arrived in Heliópolis, greeted leaders, residents, journalists and gave a speech in calling upon society's participation. Reporters from various media (TVs, radios, newspapers and portals) were waiting for her. “The Census is extremely important to show who we are and how many we are, especially in the favela. Do you need school or nursery here? A health center or piped water? This survey can only be carried out when IBGE enters each house and asks each family how they live. Based on that we can develop evidence-based public policy,” she said. “The IBGE database, this diagnosis, is necessary for public authorities and the private sector. It drives the economy. Without updating these data, we are doomed to grow with quality of life”, highlighted the minister.

The joint event Favela no Mapa took place in Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Goiás, Pará and Santa Catarina, besides São Paulo. In other states, the IBGE also invested in visibility and media, with stands, counters, balloons, banners, posters, sound trucks, distribution of leaflets, popcorn or popsicles... in addition to press conferences or interviews. Local presses were notified and generally provided with videos, radio spots and releases.

In Heliópolis, around 100 enumerators, technical coordinators and research agents were present in the Favela on the Map action. The event started at 9 am, in front of Cufa's headquarters. A special facility was set up to assist residents and also inform enumerators from other regions which enumeration areas would be assigned to each person in the community during the collection task force on the weekend.

The acting president of the IBGE, Cimar Azeredo, stated that Favela on the Map would complete the Census in Heliópolis in 2 days. “If each enumerator conducts 14 interviews between Saturday and Sunday, we can finish the collection here. That is why this action today is so important in São Paulo and in the other states of the country”. “The moment the private sector has access to Census data, it will be able to invest here, as it will know where it is investing”, explained Mr. Azeredo.

Francisco Barcia, superintendent of the IBGE in São Paulo, explained that, since March 18, the state has already been joining efforts in a task force to complete the collection in 18 agglomerates. “This Saturday's action is not just an event, but a continuation of the efforts of the technical/operational team and enumerators to complete the collection with quality in the favelas of São Paulo. The task force will keep working until the end of the month”.

For Renato Meirelles, from Data Favela, the partnership with the IBGE places the periphery at the center of the map. “This is where there is a greater need for public policies to reduce inequalities. And you can't do that without data. Therefore, the Census is fundamental. And if it is true that the IBGE has the help of Cufa and Data Favela, it is also true that we and the almost 18 million favela residents need Census data to improve the reality of this territory”.

“Hi, good morning, My name's...  Census”

“The goal today is for us to help the IBGE reach the largest number of households, to have more concrete data on favela residents. This unprecedented partnership is extremely important, as it helps enumerators get in the favelas at night, for example, ensuring that workers are included in the Census”, said the national president of Cufa, Kalyne Lima.

Enumerator José Valdiran da Silva, who has been working since the beginning of the Census in the region, knows the importance of raising awareness among residents regarding the data collection. “This action is excellent to complete the survey. The partnership helps to get in places that, in the beginning, we were not able to”.

After the mobilization in front of Cufa, the enumerators went to collect information on households in the region. One of the registered residents was Willian Santos, a commercial analyst. For him, it is essential that the collection produces adequate information in order to improve the issue of basic sanitation in Heliópolis. "Here at the entrance to the favela, it's ok, but there are many houses further inside without adequate sanitation". Leila da Silva, the enumerator who collected Willian's data, saw this partnership with good eyes, as it helps to open the doors of homes to enumerators.

“Hi, good morning, I'm Ana from the IBGE, I'm here to carry out the Census survey”. When ringing the intercom of a small condominium in Heliópolis, enumerator Ana Gomes tries to speak with a resident. “I thought today's action was wonderful, as it can help increase the collection pace with excellence. I'm from ABC Paulista and I was invited to work here and give support to the mobilization. Saturday and Sunday I will be present. The stipulated goal is 14 interviews, but my personal goal is 36 interviews per day. So I'm focused on that."