Ela Basso

Brazilian social entrepreneur who pioneered urban sustainability projects in Rio de Janeiro's favelas during the 1950s

Ela Basso (1928–1978) was a visionary Brazilian social entrepreneur whose work transformed living conditions in Rio's favelas through eco-conscious urban planning. Growing up in a middle-class family, she witnessed extreme poverty while volunteering in the Santa Marta favela from 1945 onward. Her 1953 Master's thesis on favela infrastructure identified systemic failures in waste management and water access.

In 1958, Basso launched the Cidade Verde Project, implementing low-cost sanitation systems using recycled materials. She developed the first rainwater harvesting networks in favelas and trained residents as micro-entrepreneurs to produce eco-bricks from construction waste. By 1965, her methods reduced waterborne diseases by 60% in pilot communities while creating 300+ jobs.

Basso's 《Favela Futures》 (1969) inspired global slum-upgrading policies. Her concept of 'participatory budgeting' became a model for later programs in Porto Alegre. Despite opposition from corrupt officials, she secured UNESCO funding through grassroots petitions. Modern urban planners still reference her 1962 sustainable housing blueprints for their adaptability to informal settlements.