RIO DE JANEIRO--
INTRO: CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN THE STREETS OF RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL ARE SCORNED BY THE PUBLIC AND -- AS A RECENT CONVICTION SHOWED -- MURDERED BY POLICE. CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK SPOKE WITH AN ADVOCATE OF RIO'S STREET CHILDREN TO LEARN WHY THEY ARE THERE, HOW THEY LIVE, AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP THEM.

TEXT: FOR 12-YEARS ARTIST YVONNE DE MELLO [EE-VOH'-NAY DAY MELLOW] HAS BEEN WORKING DIRECTLY WITH RIO'S STREET CHILDREN, INCLUDING THE VICTIMS OF THE NOTORIOUS MASSACRE THREE-YEARS AGO IN FRONT OF CANDELARIA CHURCH.

SHE SAYS THE STREET CHILDREN COME FROM CROWDED HOMES WHERE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TO EAT, AND BEATINGS ARE COMMONPLACE.

/// FIRST MELLO ACT ///

WHEN THOSE KIDS ARE THREE OR FOUR-YEARS OLD THEY ARE SENT DOWNTOWN OR TO THE SOUTH PART OF TOWN, WHICH IS RICHER, TO ASK FOR MONEY AT RED LIGHTS. AFTER TWO MONTHS THEY NEVER COME BACK HOME, BECAUSE IN THE STREETS THEY FIND OTHER BOYS OR GIRLS. THEY JOIN A GANG VERY YOUNG, AT FIVE-YEARS OLD. THEY GET FOOD. THEY GET A LITTLE MONEY AND THEY DO NOT HAVE THIS MOTHER OR COMPANION OF THE MOTHER WHO IS GOING TO BEAT THEM EVERY DAY. SO THEY STAY IN THE STREETS.

/// END ACT ///

MRS. MELLO SAYS THE CHILDREN SLEEP IN DOORWAYS UNTIL 9:30 OR 10 O'CLOCK WHEN THEY ARE KICKED OUT BY POLICE OR STORE OWNERS. DURING THE DAY THEY BEG AND PICK POCKETS, AND AT NIGHT THEY ROB. VERY EARLY, THEY ARE INVOLVED IN CONSUMPTION AND TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS.

/// SECOND MELLO ACT ///

THEY START TO SNIFF GLUE. AND AFTER THAT THEY GO TO MARIJUANA AND COCAINE VERY QUICKLY. AT THE AGE OF NINE THEY ARE REALLY INTO DRUGS, AND THEY WORK FOR THE TRAFFICKERS, EARNING 80-DOLLARS A DAY.

/// END ACT ///

MRS. MELLO SAYS THE KIDS FIRST ACT AS LOOKOUTS TO ALERT THE TRAFFICKERS THAT STRANGERS ARE COMING, AND BY THE TIME THEY ARE 10 OR 12 THEY ARE SELLING COCAINE. IF THEY KEEP SOME OF THE MONEY TO BUY CANDY, THEY ARE KILLED.

THE CHILD ADVOCATE SAID ABORTIONS ARE COMMON AMONG GIRLS ON RIO'S STREETS, AND USUALLY ARE NOT SAFE.

/// THIRD MELLO ACT ///

EVERY GIRL THAT I WORK WITH BY AGE 12 HAS PERFORMED MAYBE TWO ABORTIONS, IN VIOLENT WAYS -- KICKING IN THE STOMACH, NEEDLE IN THE VAGINA, ALL KINDS OF STUFF. SOMETIMES THEY DIE BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT PERFORM SERVICES IN THE PUBLIC HOSPITALS.

/// END ACT ///

MRS. MELLO SAYS THE RIO STREET CHILDREN LEARN VIOLENCE AT A YOUNG AGE AND USE BROKEN BOTTLES TO THREATEN HOLDUP VICTIMS, BUT ARE NOT KILLERS. THEY THEMSELVES ARE OFTEN KILLED BY DEATH SQUADS, POLICE, AND DRUG DEALERS.

/// FOURTH MELLO ACT ///

IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, 61- HUNDRED CHILDREN AND YOUNGSTERS WERE KILLED IN RIO. THAT IS THE ONES WHOSE BODIES WERE FOUND. IN MY WORK I KNOW THAT TWO THOUSAND MORE WERE KILLED BUT WE DID NOT FIND THE BODIES.

/// END ACT ///

MRS. MELLO SAYS THE PROBLEM OF RIO'S STREET CHILDREN MUST BE ATTACKED ON TWO FRONTS -- FIRST, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THEM IN THE STREETS AS SHE DOES, TO GET TO KNOW THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES -- SECOND, WITH PRESSURE TO CHANGE BRAZIL'S SOCIAL POLICIES. SHE SAYS THE BIG PROBLEM, IS EDUCATION. OF THE 250 CHILDREN SHE IS WORKING WITH NOW, ONLY A DOZEN ARE IN SCHOOL.

/// FIFTH MELLO ACT ///

IN MY OPINION YOU HAVE TO GIVE ABOUT 100-DOLLARS (PER MONTH) TO EACH FAMILY, THAT THEY WILL ONLY RECEIVE IF THEIR KIDS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL. BUT BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE (ENOUGH) SCHOOLS. YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THE KIDS, YOU HAVE TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND YOU HAVE TO PRESS POLITICIANS TO DO THEIR JOB.

/// END ACT ///

MRS. MELLO SHOWS VIDEOS OF AFRICAN CULTURES TO THE STREET CHILDREN AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO IDENTIFY WITH THOSE CULTURES, NOT THE SLAVE CULTURE NORMALLY SEEN AS THEIR HERITAGE. THIS GIVES THE CHILDREN A NEW IDENTITY AND PRIDE.