Keite Camacho
Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília - During his visit to Brazil, the president of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz, suggested that with its experience in the area Brazil could help the bank with social assistance in other poor countries.

"The Family Voucher program (Bolsa Familia) has attracted international attention, especially in rich nations. They want to learn from our experience. Wolfowitz said the World Bank is interested in help from Brazil," explains Rosani Cunha from the Ministry of Social Development.

Yesterday Wolfowitz visited a slum near Brasilia called Varjão, where 1,200 people receive assistance through the Bolsa Familia program.

According to a bank spokesman, over the years Brazil has received a total of US$36 billion from the organization. At the moment, 55 projects with partial World Bank financing are underway in Brazil worth US$5.6 billion.

]Wolfowitz has visited the states of Ceará and Pará. In Brasilia he met with president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He will go to São Paulo to visit an ethanol plant and met with business leaders.

Translation: Allen Bennett