City Hall distributes 809 Early Childhood Education cards in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro.

The Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance (SMAS) delivered, this Friday (November 28th), Early Childhood Carioca cards to 809 families in the South Zone. The distribution took place at the Acadêmicos da Rocinha Samba School. Since October, 15.724 cards have already been delivered in 102 neighborhoods across all regions of the city.

The Rio Early Childhood Card is part of the Little Cariocas program, a multidisciplinary protection network launched by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall a month and a half ago, on Children's Day. It includes more than 25 initiatives in the areas of health, education, social assistance, culture, and protection against violence, aimed at the comprehensive, full, and healthy development of boys and girls aged 0 to 4 years in situations of social vulnerability.

The goal of the Rio de Janeiro Early Childhood Card program is to reach 30 families, with an annual investment of over R$70 million by the Municipality. The initiative seeks to combat food insecurity among children, reaffirming the city's commitment to social protection from early childhood.

– It's the Rio de Janeiro City Hall taking care of its children and fighting food insecurity. The benefit has this focus: guaranteeing food for children aged 0 to 4 years – explained the Municipal Secretary of Social Assistance, Martha Rocha, during the 17th card distribution event this Friday.

Seventeen neighborhoods

The delivery at the Acadêmicos da Rocinha samba school was coordinated by teams from the Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance (SMAS). The action, aimed at 809 beneficiaries, involved the largest number of neighborhoods to date, this time in the South Zone region – Rocinha, Vidigal, São Conrado, Gávea, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leme, Leblon, Urca, Botafogo, Catete, Glória, Cosme Velho, Flamengo, Laranjeiras, Jardim Botânico, Humaitá.

For little Emanuelly, 1 year and 11 months old, who playfully posed for the cameras during the event, the card will guarantee more fruits and biscuits to nutritionally enrich her diet. For her mother, Vitória Camilla dos Santos Oliveira, 23, it means less spending in the budget.

 "I don't have a steady job. I do odd jobs selling candy on the beach or working at a snack bar while my daughter is in daycare," revealed the resident of Morro do Cantagalo, in Ipanema.

For Sofia Diana Aguayo Leal, a 28-year-old Chilean who became a resident of Rio de Janeiro three years ago when she decided to marry Josemar de Souza Alves, 37, the benefit is a very welcome boost. The couple lives with their 9-month-old son, David, in Morro Pavão-Pavãozinho, in Copacabana, with income from informal painting and renovation jobs done by the father.

– I came on vacation with friends and met Josemar. Now, I'm here and I have a Brazilian son. The card will help us with food and diapers – Sofia summarized.

Stephany Gomes de Paula, 23, mother of Maria Radasa, 1 year and 9 months old, will also be able to expand her shopping list with the R$ 200 monthly allowance.

"I'm going to use the money to buy yogurt, juice, and cookies for her," celebrated the mother, a resident of Rocinha, who is outside the formal job market.

Who is entitled

To be eligible for the card, the family must meet the following prerequisites: be registered in the Unified Registry (CadÚnico); not receive Bolsa Família from the federal government; have a monthly family income of up to R$ 218 per person; and have at least one child aged 0 to 4 years.

Each family entitled to the benefit – a food card worth R$ 200, recharged monthly on the 12th and accepted in more than 1.500 establishments in the city – receives a notification via WhatsApp (to the contact information listed in the CadÚnico) with information about the date and location for collection. Through the Carioca Digital websiteIt is also possible to check who is among the beneficiaries by providing their CPF number.

More than a thousand families

In another action, on Thursday (November 27), SMAS began distributing the card to 1.094 families from six neighborhoods in the West Zone: Realengo, Magalhães Bastos, Deodoro, Jardim Sulacap, Vila Militar and Campos dos Afonsos. Among those benefited was the family of Sara Rodrigues Fraga, 34, mother of Celso Junior, 2, and Sophia, 6.

"I'll use the card to buy diapers, fruit, and food in general. I work as a freelancer, making personalized products: pens, t-shirts... I'm the sole breadwinner in my house," said Sara, who lives in Realengo.

Also a resident of the neighborhood, Wender Luana da Silva Cavalheiro, 35, is 8 months pregnant. Mother of Yonan Davi, 3, Daniele, 6, and Daniel, 10, she celebrated the arrival of the benefit, to help with expenses for her children's food.

– The card will help me a lot with grocery shopping, especially for milk. The children's father still needs to settle child support payments, and I'm not working and I don't have a support network.

Category:

• Social assistance
• News

November 28th, 2025

Appointments: Rio Early Childhood Card City Hall of Rio Little Cariocas program South Zone