Preto Zezé celebrates BNDES Periferias initiative and highlights the economic potential of the favelas.
New program reduces counterpart funding, opens R$ 235 million in calls for proposals, and recognizes communities as key players in national development.
247 - For a long time, the favela was portrayed only as a territory of poverty and violence, associated with short-term welfare policies. This view, however, does not reflect reality. As highlighted by the activist and president of the Central Única das Favelas (Cufa-RJ), Preto Zezé, in an article published in the newspaper... The Globe By September 1, 2025, these communities will be centers of creativity, consumption, innovation, and solidarity networks that generate billions of reais in the Brazilian economy.
According to him, the creation of the program BNDES Peripheries This marks a paradigm shift. "For the first time, the country's main development bank recognizes that the favela is not a problem, but a solution," he states. The initiative drastically reduces the counterpart funding requirement: from 50% to just 10%, allowing BNDES to finance up to 90% of the value of projects up to R$ 5 million per CNPJ (Brazilian company tax ID). Above this limit, the traditional 50% rule remains.
In practice, groups, organizations, and entrepreneurs from marginalized communities will be able to compete for resources on a fairer footing. In total, R$ 235 million will be distributed across four areas: Green Peripheries (focused on circular economy, urban agriculture and climate resilience), Strong Peripheries (with capacity building and governance), Poles Peripheries (community spaces for innovation and entrepreneurship) and Entrepreneurial Peripheries (focused on transforming the subsistence economy into sustainable businesses).
More than just a call for proposals, the program repositions the role of the public bank. BNDES, previously restricted to financing large companies, is now presenting itself as a direct partner in development on the urban fringes. “The role of BNDES Periferias is to be a catapult, not a leash. To support without domesticating. To stimulate without imposing ready-made models,” argues Preto Zezé.
The activist emphasizes that investing in the favela should not be seen as philanthropy, but as a development strategy. The impacts go beyond job creation: they strengthen production chains, increase local consumption, circulate income, and boost collective self-esteem. "Every real invested multiplies in impact," he states.
The program also sets a precedent for other financial institutions and private investors to follow suit. By simplifying access to credit and directing significant resources to marginalized communities, BNDES is inaugurating a cycle of public policies that are more connected to real life, less centralized, and more sustainable.
For Preto Zezé, investing in the favela is investing in Brazil's future. "The favela as a place for investment is not just a concept, it's the future the country needs to build," he says. The message is clear: without the development of the peripheries, there is no national development.