Three community associations from Barcarena signed, on Friday (02/05), a partnership agreement with the project Travessia Barcarena to support the production of non-medical facial masks by seamstresses of the municipality. Through the partnership, the local entities will articulate the 90 professionals who currently participate in the project to increase the activity and generate income. The benefited associations are “Centro Comunitário de Vila Nova”, “Associação de Moradores Renascer em Cristo” and “Associação Comunitária Luz Divina”.

The expectation is that other professionals will be included in the project and that 150,000 masks will be freely distributed to local communities. "This signment represents an important partnership, which has the potential to become a long-term project, helping the associations to gain a leading role in generating income in the territory. This is what we expect. This way, we are also helping to combat the circulation of the new coronavirus," says Eduardo Figueiredo, Hydro's director of Territorial Development.

Sandra Faé, from the Synergia Socioambiental consulting firm, responsible for the project implementation, points out that Travessia Barcarena brings the possibility of supporting income generation when the issue of job losses is in evidence. "The resources from the project come to boost the local economy. This partnership provides at the same time the strengthening of the project and the associations. Certainly, we will still have many initiatives ahead of us. I'm grateful that we are together at such an important moment," she adds.

The articulation of the seamstresses also involves professional qualification and a production network development. Maria Selma, a representative of the seamstresses, mentions about her pleasure to participate in the project, which will also support Covid-19 prevention. "It is a great emotion to participate in a project like this and to know that the fruit of our work will help save people, that those masks will serve our children, our grandchildren. I hope that this is just the beginning of everything and that, from now on, our municipality and our community can participate in several other projects", she highlights.

Travessia Barcarena has the financial support of R$ 3.8 million, of which R$ 2.5 million are invested by Hydro’s Sustainability Fund and R$ 1.3 million from PPA Solidarity, formed by the partners USAID, NPI Expand, managed by Palladium, Partners for the Amazon Platform (PPA) and SITAWI Finance for Good. In addition to supporting the seamstresses, the project promotes training and income generation for family farmers in the region, who will have part of their production purchased and subsequently donated to local communities by the project.

Hydro’s Sustainability Fund

It is a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable development and supports community-based projects with participatory dynamics. Established in 2019, Hydro’s Sustainability Fund was born from a joint commitment by the companies Hydro, Albras and Alunorte to invest R$ 100 million to leverage initiatives and actions that contribute to the sustainable development of Barcarena (PA), over 10-year period. The investments in this territory are the initial milestone of HSF's trajectory.

The definition of the guidelines for investments made by Hydro’s Sustainability Fund is made in partnership with organized civil society, in participatory processes, and through open dialogues. In Barcarena, the first partnership is with the Sustainable Barcarena Initiative (IBS).

About PPA Solidarity

USAID, NPI Expand, the Partners for the Amazon Platform (PPA) and SITAWI Finance for Good have come together to create a partnership to help fight COVID-19 in Brazil. "PPA Solidarity: Response to COVID-19 in the Amazon" is an initiative that engages the private sector in strategic partnerships to leverage innovative and scalable solutions to strengthen rapid emergency response and combat COVID-19. In the Amazon, the Hydro Sustainability Fund is a partner in the initiative. The initiative works with civil society and private sector partners on four lines of action: Mobilize communication campaigns on risks and community engagement in mitigation and protection measures to address COVID-19 and empower vulnerable and/or isolated communities to protect themselves from exposure and transmission of COVID-19; Promote infection prevention and control measures by COVID-19 in health facilities and communities; Support the local health system (hospitals, health centers and community health units/services) to respond and control COVID-19 through health services and surveillance; Support entrepreneurs, small social impact businesses and startups, producer groups and cooperatives with small financial contributions, business advisory services and access to low-interest loans or micro-credit.