SOS Amazônia Campaign receives donation from Greta Thunberg

By Jornal O Clima

The news that the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was chosen as the winner of the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity — the announcement was made on the 20th, Monday — reverberated internationally, but in a special way for the Fridays for Future Brasil movement (FFF Brasil). Of the amount received, EUR 1 million, Greta will allocate EUR 100,000 to the SOS Amazônia campaign. Launched on June 5, World Environment Day, by the FFF, the campaign aims to support actions to combat COVID in traditional communities in the Amazon.

“We were extremely happy and delighted to know that our campaign was one of thousands of initiatives around the world,” said activist Valentina Ruas, 17, one of the 16 young women who organized the initiative. “With that, our goal of R $ 1 million was reached in almost 80%”, she celebrated.

The funds raised are being transferred in the form of basic baskets and hygiene kits to different indigenous communities in Manaus, in the region close to Manaus and in the interior of the Amazon. The communities were identified by the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS), together with the group of young people directly linked to SOS Amazônia. “Before the campaign started, we were concerned with logistics, how to get resources to reach communities,” recalled Valentina. For this reason, the partnership with FAS, which is responsible for distributing the kits in the different benefited regions. “We put together several action plans, always considering the specific needs of each community,” she said. “We are constantly organizing ourselves, thinking about strategies to increase donations, and meeting weekly with FAS to update ourselves and discuss the next steps”.

On the 22nd, Wednesday, it was the turn of the Sateré Mawé community, located on the outskirts of Manaus, to receive the materials. Samela Lorena Vilacio Marteninghi, 23, who lives in the community, has been a member of FFF Brasil for three months, helped delivery to families. She is part of the Sateré Mawé Indigenous Women Association, and is directly involved in the SOS Amazônia campaign — in preparation, planning meetings, meetings with FAZ, among other activities -.

According to Samela, solidarity is not something new in the community. What changes is that the aid comes from non-indigenous people. “It seems that they are perceiving us and realizing how much we need support,” she said. “It is great when young people come together for a common good, helping people they have never seen”.

The global SOS Amazônia campaign, organized by activists from the Fridays for Future (FFF) movement, already has its first concrete results. Launched on June 5, International Environment Day, the campaign seeks to raise R $ 1 million to serve indigenous and riverside communities threatened by COVID-19. The Federal Government’s neglect of public policies on basic health care, income and demarcation and protection of indigenous territories further aggravates the effects of the pandemic.

“We know that we cannot face the climate crisis without first facing the coronavirus crisis,” said FFF activists, at the launch of the campaign. “Thus, if we do not help the populations of the Amazon Forest, we will be allowing the two crises to develop. We need to listen to scientists, doctors and people who are suffering. ”

The funds raised will be used to purchase hygiene products, food and health equipment that are already being delivered to indigenous populations in Manaus and in the interior of the state of Amazonas. The items are delivered by the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS), an organization chosen by FFF Brasil to manage the fund created by the campaign and to organize the distribution of the items.

The first actions took place on Friday, July 3, in Manaus (AM) and surroundings, with the delivery of food baskets and hygiene kits to 155 families and to the Manaus Indigenous Medicine Center. In the coming weeks, the forecast is to serve 625 more families in the region. The job is not simple. “Logistics to reach communities is challenging,” said the coordinator of Sustainable Cities at FAS, Paula Carramaschi Gabriel, who works in the campaign. “These are dirt roads in terrible conditions, trips that can last for days, by boat and tail, that canoe with a little engine”, he said. The forecast is to serve about 900 more families still in July. Further on, the actions will also reach communities living in the regions of Lábrea, Santa Isabel do Rio Negro and near the Purus River.

“The SOS Amazônia campaign is extremely important for us, as it strengthens the performance of FAS, along with 80 other partners, during the pandemic,” said Paula. “We strongly believe in the strength of the collective, and adding to the Fridays for Future movement will allow us to reach more communities that are in a situation of extreme vulnerability.”

For the coordinator, the collaborative way in which the project was built also deserves applause. “There were several conversations, exchange of ideas, analysis and studies”, he said. The support of the indigenous Rosa dos Anjos, who leads the FAS indigenous agenda, ensured an understanding of the reality of indigenous populations in the different territories that will be covered.

SOS Amazônia intends to distribute the resources as follows: 20% for the Alto Rio Negro region, 30% for Lábrea and Purus, 45% for communities in Manaus and the region, and 5% for future emergencies and other ideas.

“We are not here to play”

“The campaign has no end date, and we will try to help as much as possible. It is a very good feeling to know that what we are doing is helping poor, riverside and indigenous communities, which have a fundamental role in preserving biodiversity and the Amazon. It gives a lot of pride and hope for the future. ”

Last week the first deliveries of basic food baskets were made in Manaus, and even more deliveries will be made in the coming weeks. I believe that we will soon reach communities in the interior. It is important to note that the baskets are being adapted according to the needs of each community, and may contain fruits, meats, etc.

We are gaining space in the media, and people — I think especially now that we are delivering the baskets — are seeing that we are not here to play.

Donate now! to the SOS Amazonia fund. For more information, visit sosamazonia.fund