Imagine living in constant fear for your life due to poverty, wars, crime and sickness. Imagine hoping to get away from that lifestyle and the home that you live in fear of leaving. For some African refugees, Brazil and the Amazon has been where hope meets reality and where new lives can be had and dreams discovered. A dream of going to bed at night unafraid of being attacked, a dream of being able to make enough money to buy the necessary food and clothing for your family. Necessary: a word that many African people have had to reinvent the meaning of, because, so many live without what we Westerners consider… necessary.
Brazil doesn’t specifically allow refugees but does grant asylum every now and then to many who come seeking it. Years ago refugees were mainly from the near or neighbouring countries of Bolivia and Columbia, but in recent years Brazil has seen a large influx of African refugees – mostly from Angola, who make up a 64 % of the refugees according to ips.news.net.
Some choose Brazil as a country to escape to because of their love for the music or football, whereas many arrive there with hopes of being accepted into the culture, religion and country. It is an interesting place to live, from whatever background you are from, and the fact that the country shares many similarities with African nations, yet is also dramatically different, can appeal to the asylum seekers.
Most refugees are just people tired of living a nightmare everyday and want relief from the terror that surrounds them, even if it means going somewhere that they will no longer be considered a professional in their field as they once might have been in their home country, and working in whatever job they can find. Because for them, the freedom and peace they find in Brazil is far better than the title or job they may have left back in their war-torn countries and homes.