No Sunshine in Here

More than six million Brazilians are domestic workers, almost all of them women, and mostly black. Every day, they scrub their employers’ often-palatial homes, take children to school and serve meals. They themselves may have to make do with leftovers. The maid’s quarters—still common in Brazilian residential buildings—are no larger than six square meters. They are paid very little, and make long working hours. In spite of all this, they manage to build a life for themselves and their children.