Impact Update: Action for the Amazon COVID-19 Relief Campaign

February 3, 2021

The Amazon Conservation Team recently shared their progress in this ongoing effort to help remote Indigenous communities amidst the pandemic.

In response to the spread of Covid-19 last summer, The White Feather Foundation, in partnership with Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) and The Nevada Building Hope Foundation, launched a relief campaign to bring aid to those who were the most in need. The following month, a tremendous milestone was reached, which provided a lifeline to many in the region. But the work didn’t stop there. Since then, our partners have continued to stay active in the area, responding to the needs of the people and finding new ways to be of assistance. ACT’s U.S. Manager of Public Affairs & Programs Support, Isidoro Hazbun, reported on the issue of Food Insecurity last fall.

Communications

One of the greatest challenges that relief organizations have to navigate throughout the pandemic is the distribution of accurate information to remote communities. Because many of the Indigenous citizens do not speak the language of nearby cities and towns, they are often left without vital health and safety updates. ACT developed a way to solve this by designing and sharing printed and digital materials created in the native languages of those they serve. An example of one of the videos produced can be seen here:

Sanitation Supplies

Items that were hard to find for many in developed countries were even more difficult to obtain in the Amazon, but ACT still succeeded in getting these supplies to the people who needed them most. Here’s just a snapshot of what they distributed:

22,147 Protective Face Masks
3,677 Litres of Hand Sanitizer
3.347 Litres of Multipurpose Disinfectant

Life-saving Kits

Other items that help prevent the spread of viruses and sustain families for long periods of time are the supply kits assembled by ACT. Their Medical Kits contain basic medicines, bandages, thermometers and other essential over-the-counter items that those in Indigenous communities may not normally have. Their Biodiversity Kits contain items like protective gloves and soap to maintain good sanitary practices. The Survival Kits are made up of essential items that aid in independent continuance of healthy living such as fishing lines and hooks to cultivate natural food sources, etc. Here are the totals of the kits delivered to date:

3,150 Medical Kits
2,216 Biosecurity Kits
2,089 Survival Kits

COVID-19 Tests

ACT partnered with the Putumayo Department of Health in Colombia to implement epidemiological surveillance, then coordinated and supported the logistics of training individuals to administer tests, and delivering those tests to the greater community. As a result, dozens of new medical professionals are able to conduct Covid-19 testing and thousands in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Putumayo areas have already been tested.

Cacay Tree Project

In addition to basic necessities and supplies provided in the moment, the ACT team also implemented an eco-friendly, sustainable program that will generate income and food for 220 families. Over 14,000 native Cacay trees were planted (with an additional 17,000 to be planted this year) that will be processed into oil for selling to cosmetics companies and ground into flour to provide a food source for those in the region. By providing guidance to nurseries growing the saplings, training to Indigenous and local community growers and facilitating an increase in nut supply, ACT is not only helping the people, but enhancing rainforest soil and helping to renew degraded ecosystems in the Amazon.

We continue to fundraise for our Action for the Amazon Covid-19 Relief Campaign, which is currently at 53% of our total goal. If you’d like to help, donate here and/or share this page to your social media networks.

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Impact Update: Action for the Amazon COVID-19 Relief Campaign

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Impact Update: Action for the Amazon COVID-19 Relief Campaign

Communications

Sanitation Supplies

Life-saving Kits

COVID-19 Tests

Cacay Tree Project

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