On June 14 last, Imer and Ricardo Baumgartner, together with Friar Thomas, a monk of the Grace Mercy Order, all humanitarian workers of the Fraternity – InternationalHumanitarian Federation (FIHF), visited two Taurepang indigenous communities: the TARAU-PARU community, located in the Pacaraima Municipality-RR, on the border with Venezuela, and the SOROCAIMA community, which is halfway to Pacaraima.
The visit came about through an invitation of the Indigenous Immigrants of Roraima (AMIR) so that the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) could present proposals for activities at the Indigenous Cultural and Training Center (ICTC).
Imer tells us that the goal of the visit was to find out about the situation of the Taurepang indigenous people coming from Venezuela, who have taken shelter in the Brazilian Taurepang communities, and to talk about needs for the promotion of activities that generate livelihoods and reinforce lasting solutions.
The proposal of the ICTC is to include this ethnic group in the trainings offered in the city of Boa Vista through a partnership with AMIR, besides trying to find a response for training in the communities themselves and establishing a dialogue with the leadership for future development activities in the Communities.
According to Friar Thomas, the indigenous public’s receptivity was very good, mostly Venezuelans, who were welcomed into the Brazilian communities. Among the main requests that emerged during the conversations was learning Portuguese and the development of agroforestry for the self-sustainability of the Communities.
Two indigenous individuals of AMIR, who are expected to go to the FigueiraLight-Community, accompanied the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) on that visit.
“We observed that in a natural way, and with the participation of the indigenous people themselves, the ICTC finally reached the indigenous communities of Roraima with the Lasting Solutions Project to effectively benefit that population”, the friar tells us.
According to the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) worker, Imer, some immigrants who have already reached Boa Vista began taking courses on breadmaking and basic Portuguese at the ICTC. Others were brought to participate in handicraft fairs. For those who were unable to come, 50 booklets for learning Portuguese were sent to them; accommodation was obtained in partnership with Cáritas, in Boa Vista; a liaison was made with the Federal Institute of Roraima (IFRR) for providing technical advice and inclusion in the fish farming program.
For the year 2022, there are plans to strengthen the agroecology proposal made by AMIR and continue providing training in several areas.
