Build Back Brazilian Communities
$2,035.00
USD
Raised
$15,000.00
USD
Goal
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Help Restore Areas Destroyed By Record-Breaking Fires in the Amazon
In 2019, Amazonia faced rainforest fires burning out of control, with over 80,000 fires documented.
In recent months, we’ve seen a parallel scenario: Rainforests burning; Indigenous longhouses, health posts and basic infrastructure incinerated; rivers despoiled; and cities full of smoke. This time, however, international media coverage has been sparse.
For Indigenous communities, their basic staple crops have been wiped out, hunting is no longer an option, and when the smoke subsides, hunger and disease kick in, while the villages simultaneously must scramble to rebuild.
This is where our partners at Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), with their long history of relationships with the communities founded on
trust, comes in, providing resources to reestablish the communities’ basic conditions for living.
While ACT can do little to stem the reckless land clearing and climate-change-induced drought conditions that are the primary reasons for these fires, they can rebuild the basic infrastructure of these communities.
Concentrating efforts on two Indigenous groups: The Awa of Bananal Island in the state of Tocatins, and the Wauja in the Xingu region of Mato Grosso state, the focus will be on the reconstruction of multipurpose structures used as health posts, schools, gathering centers and basic shelter in the absence of housing. All can be achieved with support from The White Feather Foundation.
The Indigenous peoples of Brazil have long planted cassava, corn, potatoes and other foods; A large part of these peoples’ resources comes from the forests. They hunt and gather fruits that complement the production of the crops. In addition, they obtain medicine from the forests to take care of their physical and spiritual health, which plays an extremely important role in their culture. The forests also provide the materials for building their houses, handicrafts, and artifacts used in everyday life, such as baskets, bows and arrows.
When their resources are eliminated by fires, they scramble to find food, and when it’s gone, they become dependent on the goodwill of those who live nearest them. This can at times lead to exploitation by ill-intentioned people.
In addition to the lack of nourishment, they also face severe health challenges as a result of these events. Respiratory disease due to smoke inhalation, infections do to burns, the contamination of water/lack of filtering systems carries a high risk of increasing the occurrence of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and worms. In addition, the loss of wildlife (as seen in the photo to the left) has devastating consequences for the entire ecosystem.
While the situation is grim, it is not without hope. We as a community, have the power to build back these beautiful communities. Read on to learn how your donation helps restore these sacred areas.
Top photo by Sue Cunningham Photographic/Alamy
Bottom photo courtesy of Amazon Conservation Team
TOOLS
Your donation helps pay for construction materials and the equipment needed to rebuild structures to ensure their long-term durability, plus essential tools for fire prevention and management.
MEDICINE
Your donation helps pay for supplies and items to restore and sustain sanitary practices throughout the community, and furnish health clinics with basic medicines and first aid kits.
STAFF
Your donation helps pay for the experts who will research and coordinate each project with the local communities, as well as the labourers who will complete the work.
