‘Mrs. Mariana’ is a resident in one of the most violent neighborhoods in the city of Fortaleza, named ‘Conjunto Palmeiras’.  She has two children, whom we will call ‘Fernando’ and ‘Adriano’, and lives in a house with her husband (whom she married at the age of 16 – her husband being 47 at the time) and children in two rooms.

As a result of a fire 15 years ago, forcing the family to live in a tent for many years, the family lost all of their documents and were unable to register the birth of their children.  Add to this that the hospital where the children were born also lost all documentation and, as a result, public departments have denied her requests to register the children as being hers.

Because of this lack of documentation, ‘Fernando’ and ‘Adriano’ were prevented from attending school and accessing basic healthcare, even though the law guarantees access to education.

(Hearing this was…