friends help friends in Brazil

Eight years ago Alexandra started the work in Brazil together with Katharina. In November Benno and Tina traveled there and after several years this was again an opportunity to visit the projects personally. These were on the one hand in the north the Maniok farm in Nilo Peçanha and as a second stop the former landfill Jardim Gramacho in the state of Rio de janeiro.

With the following information and photos we would like to share our journey with you:

In the Atlantic rainforest in the state of Bahia, place: Nilo Peçanha, Bianca and Cebolinha built, among other things, a small company for Maniok farmers in the rainforest. Since then, the farmers can keep their harvest themselves and sell it on the market. Previously, the families had to hand over a large part of their harvest to the Maniok mill, where their produce had to be ground. For many farmers this means a big step out of poverty and constant existential fears..

The building and the necessary machines for the "Casa de Farinha" were financed by friends help friends at that time. During this stay Benno and Tina can see the equipment in action and get a good impression of what has been created in recent years. They are on site for several days and get an impression of the daily routine and how life is here in the foothills of the jungle. The guests are quickly getting involved and new plans are made together.

Benno and Tina then continue their journey on a domestic flight. The next stop is Jardim Gramacho, a district in the city of Duque de Caxias in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Jardim Gramacho was home to one of the largest landfills in the world, which was closed in June 2012 after 34 years of operation. The landfill was created in the 1970s in a wetland with mangrove forests. Every day, 6,000 to 7,000 tons of waste were delivered from Rio, a city of six million people

Today, the once beautiful natural area is still home to a few thousand people. Hundreds are still busy collecting and recycling garbage because they see no other alternative. Around the small huts, mostly made of discarded materials, there is toxic soil everywhere.

The contact person there is Jose, he is a priest in Jardim Gramacho. Jose cares lovingly for many people here, gives even from his very small earnings to those in need. He takes Tina and Benno to those who have been living in difficult situations for a long time. Edison, for example, had to undergo a hip operation more than 10 years ago, which resulted in other "medical damage". Since then, Edison has been confined to bed. Many wished for him to be given a wheelchair someday.
 

This dream has now come true...

Many are relieved after their visit, because without "leaving something there" the two do not want to leave...

Some long-term projects are also to be started in Jardim Gramacho in the next few months and expanded in the coming years. For example, a large "recycling place" is to be purchased so that young people can find work there. Monthly, very needy families will also receive urgently needed food. Until now, many ate partly poisoned "food", such as food leftovers from the garbage dumps or crabs from toxic waters, as a man shows Benno and Tina...
 

Impressions can be found in the photo album (to follow) and in our Telegram Kanal.