Márcia Wonghon
Reporter - Agencia Brasil

Recife – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Mayor of the northeastern city of Recife, João Paulo, handed this Friday (10) the keys of 224 apartments to families that until now used to live on houses on stilts. Each 39-square meter (419.8 square feet) apartment has two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and a bathroom.

Investments for the construction of the new homes reached US$2.2 million, of which US$600 thousand came from the State. In his speech, President Lula said that the federal government will invest this year, through the Ministry of the Cities, US$462 million in the construction of popular housing.

"Our objective is to change the situation of extreme poverty of 100 thousand families that still live on houses on stilts, in the main cities of the country," said Lula.

Translation: Andréa Alves