On July 7, 2017, Sidineia de Souza Gasque, 46, took a break from her job as a maid and traveled with her daughter to Disney, Florida.
It was Ingrid's 15th birthday. And, even if the dollar exceeded R$ 3 at the time, the ten-day trip to the USA would be cheaper than a celebration in the ballroom of Pirajuí, city where they live, 384 kilometers from São Paulo.
In a scenario far from the fantasy kingdom designed by Minister Paulo Guedes (Economy)—and with the dollar well above the R$ 1.80 quoted by him when, he said, domestic servants went to Disney— Neia, as she is known, says that she made a miracle happen.
A maid since she was 12, she worked in two houses in the months before the trip. At night, she had a ten-hour day as an elderly caregiver. She worked another eight-hour day as a housekeeper during the days. "I came home, took a shower, had dinner, and left again."
She managed to save R$ 1,000 a month because, on weekends, she cooked or cleaned in family homes. She also had the support of bricklayer Vanir, with whom he has lived for 14 years, who bakes bread to increase family income.
In the end, she managed to save R$ 25,000 (US$ 5,800) to fulfill her mother and daughter's wish.
When informed of Guedes' disastrous statements, she cursed and then apologized. She continued: "Going to Disney is not just a rich man's dream; he goes there like I go from here to São Paulo. For our poor children, they think it is impossible. What I did was a miracle."
Now, the new mission is to guarantee Ingrid's architecture course, which costs R$ 720 per month at a private college.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon