Maranhão program lifts 333,000 people out of extreme poverty

A study by the Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) indicates that the Maranhão Livre da Fome program has lifted 333,945 people, representing 73,192 families, out of extreme poverty in the state of Maranhão.

The state program provides a R$ 300.00 monthly supplement to families already receiving the federal Bolsa Família benefit. Additional support includes R$ 50.00 per child aged 0 to 6, R$ 100.00 per person with a disability, and a R$ 200.00 payment for those completing professional qualification courses. The initiative also includes health monitoring and social assistance.

Governor Carlos Brandão noted that prior to the program's implementation, various social measures and job creation efforts had already helped reduce the number of people in extreme poverty by one million. The Maranhão Livre da Fome program was specifically launched to target the remaining 500,000 vulnerable citizens.