Find out how Tupandi, a city in Rio Grande do Sul, practically eliminated its dependence on Bolsa Família

Vocational courses for young people, incentives for sports and support for graduation. Champion in the number of “children” of Bolsa Família who left the Single Registry, with a result of 95.7%, according to an unprecedented study by the IMDS (Institute of Mobility and Social Development), Tupandi from Rio Grande do Sul has lessons to teach.

With a population estimated at 5,000 inhabitants, according to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), it took advantage of the low number of people enrolled in Bolsa Família in the municipality — around 35 in the last year — to closely monitor the development of children and young people. in the program.

For more than a decade, the municipality has tried to go beyond the transfer of income to families. Apart from attending school required by the federal program, young people can choose between short and medium-term professional courses, such as cutting and sewing, office assistants or aesthetics, all offered by the city hall.

One of these young people is Eduardo Baungartem, 17. On the verge of graduating from the barber course offered by the municipality, he divides himself between work, his last year of high school and his dream of studying dentistry. The parents managed to withdraw from Bolsa Família, after almost five years of being beneficiaries of the program.

“The program was very important to us, it helped with the main expenses at times when we were not so well and while I was preparing for the future.”

The city, which is 86 km from Porto Alegre, stands out for its high GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita (per person), of R$ 102,777 in 2019, according to the IBGE. Part of the wealth comes from the countryside: from poultry, swine and egg and milk production. But it has also become a hub for the furniture industry, which has had a positive impact on income and job creation over the last few decades.

“I really like it here and I intend to stay in the city. As it is not that big, we ended up receiving a lot of support. My brother, who is now ten years old, will also be able to have the same opportunities that I am having”, says Eduardo.

According to Tupandi’s Secretary of Social Assistance, Márcia Warken, a later stage of the projects to accompany young people in the municipality is to encourage graduation and the city hall offers support and a free transport service to the university, in the neighboring city. “As a form of retribution, students do three hours a week interns at schools or social centers.”

Today a psychologist at the city hall, Vivian Marx, 31, has worked in school libraries, digitizing invoices, box office and organizing public events in the municipality. “The graduation project, which is not only aimed at those who are dependent on Bolsa Família and Auxílio Brasil, has helped me since the beginning of college.”

She says that most students want to stay in the city after graduating, to return the investment. “The project was very important, due to the reduction of costs. As I didn’t have a scholarship, the municipality paid for a discipline in exchange for community service.”

For economist Paulo Tafner, from IMDS, the municipal initiatives complement the positive cycle initiated by Bolsa Família. “The importance of the federal program is clear, but it goes up to a certain point. Monitoring children and young people in families is what can define the transition from a situation of vulnerability.”

The South region has the highest rate of exit from the CadÚnico of Bolsa Família dependents, with 74%, followed closely by the Midwest (72%). At the other end is the Northeast, with 58%.

At the other extreme, Milagres do Maranhão (MA), with 28%, Limoeiro do Ajuru (PA), with 29%, and Bela Vista do Piauí (PI), with 30.7%, have the lowest exit rates from the registry of government for vulnerable families. As they are in states with a more fragile job market than the country’s average, the difficulty these families have in not receiving the benefit is greater.

In the fourth quarter of last year, Maranhão had an unemployment rate of 13.4% — above the 11.1% for Brazil, according to the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD). In Piauí, unemployment was 11.9% in the period; in Pará, 11%.

In Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, where the cities with the best results from CadÚnico are located, unemployment stood at 8.1% and 4.3% in the fourth quarter, respectively.

“Often, the more stagnant job market represents such a great risk for the future of families that depend on income transfer programs, that even with local initiatives, improving the income of young people is difficult”, says economist Bruno Ottoni, of IData.

​Tafner considers that, despite the difficulties, the poorest municipalities can try to reinforce the formation and inclusion of the “children” of income transfer programs, through partnerships with larger cities in that region.

“Cities with a more fragile economy can join the main nearby municipalities, with internship and employment programs. State governments also have a fundamental role in coordinating this. It requires initiative and planning, but it is possible”, he says.