Dear friends,
May day (May 1st, 2024) marks the onset of a major climate disaster in the South of Brazil: a flood of unprecendented proportions with torrential rains that continued for 15 days. The damage is still very hard to assess, but we know for certain that 93% of the cities in the Southernmost state of Brazil have been affected, hundreds of thousands of humans and non-humans have lost their lives, and more than 540.000 families have been displaced to temporary shelters. Critical infrastructure has also been severally affected: water and electricity services have been discontinued, while damns and roads have collapsed. As we write these lines, a public health emergency is currently unfolding.
The big media has reported briefly on the disaster. You can see the situation and read about the disaster in the New York Times (US), the BBC (UK), and Le Monde Diplomatique (France), among others, or read the public statement of our comrades of the Association of Brazilian Geographer (AGB) in portuguese, english, spanish, frensch or german.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We have never written to you with this kind of request, but the level of human and non-human suffering in this case is unprecendented. We are mobilizing everyone in our personal networks to send donations to the most vulnerable communities, so the process of reconstruction can start.
Here are the local organizations we are supporting first, whose disaster relief work involves managing donations to help the most affected families in the most affected areas. We have close working and personal ties with core members of these organizations.
National Movement of Recyclables Collectors
This organization is composed of ecological agents who collect recyclable materials to support their families. They have been heavily affected for being located in regions that are completely flooded.
[DONATION LINK]Institute of Quilombola (Maroon) Communities
This organization is responsible for fighting for land titles for Black communities (Quilombolas) who ran away from the plantation system during the colonial period in Brazil. They are now in danger of displacement by local state authorities.
[DONATION LINK]Every donation counts—as little or as much you think you are able to give. We suggest $10 dollars or 10 Euros to each one of these organizations, but everyone is very welcome to donate as much as they can.
If you would like to participate directly in the relief efforts, please contact us at info@orangotango.info and we will proceed to establish the direct connection with the community organizations.
Yours truly,
LF, Rosa, Paul, Lulu, TC, and Naila.
