Brazil has endured one of the worst outbreaks of COVID-19 of any country, with over 2 million cases and rising. The situation has been worsened by political turmoil, including constant change of the nation’s top health official and a leader, in Jair Bolsonaro, who downplays the dangers of the pandemic. Alongside multiple social, humanitarian and religious organisations, Aurora da Rua, a street paper based in the Brazilian city of Salvador, is engaging in a campaign that utilises the power of silence to draw attention to the disaster currently unfolding.

Bete first started work as an Aurora De Rua vendor in 2010 after spending 10 years on the streets. She now works as a facilitator on the Levanta-te e Anda [Get Up and Walk] Project in addition to continuing her work for Aurora De Rua. Bete, who is renowned for her friendly nature, takes great satisfaction in her work and is grateful for all that she has accomplished.

Today is Valentine’s Day, so we’re sharing vendor stories of love, sex and romance. Norma and Lazaro have had difficult lives separately, but since meeting, they have been together, and life isn’t so unbearable anymore. Now selling the Brazilian street paper Aurora da Ru, the couple talk about their hardships, how they met and their seemingly inevitable marriage.

This year we asked vendors: if you could give a song as a present this Christmas, what would you choose? The result was the INSP Vendor Playlist, which is now available for your listening pleasure. Aurora da Rua vendor Luís talks about his choice, the traditional bloco-afro song ‘Revolta do Olodum’.