Sao Paulo is Brazil’s richest city... its financial and gastronomic capital. It is also the metropolis with the ​largest number of homeless people in Latin America: 25,000 according to ​latest official figures. 

That population is acutely vulnerable to the economic slowdown brought on by COVID-19. 

The Brazilian government has instigated a massive direct cash benefit program to help people through the crisis. It has cost billions, and actually has notably reduced poverty.

But reaching people at the very bottom of society, who don’t have bank accounts, is exceptionally complicated. They oftenfall through the cracks.   

Stephen Gibbs reports from Sao Paulo.