HGC funds vegetable community garden in Guarani village, on Brazil/Paraguay border

HGC is providing funds to the indigenous village of Tekoha Guãiviry, on the Brazil/Paraguay border. The village has 84 families, 242 people. They belong to the ethnic group Guarani-Kaiowá (second largest indigenous group in Brazil and the largest in Paraguay). They have suffered a huge ethnocide due to colonization, the Paraguay War (1864-1870) and nowadays - armed conflicts between farmers, ruralists and indigenous people who constantly invade indigenous land to establish cattle ranching, agribusiness and soy farms. In 2011, the Tekoha Guãiviry leader - the “cacique” Nísio Gomes - was murdered in a conflict.

A Community Food Garden is needed - HGC will provide funds to buy tools and different Creole seeds. The garden is near the village school, so students can consume fresh food during school time. The food is important to keep these children in the school, since it is common to lose many young students to child labor, school dropout and other factors, including suicide.

The garden will allow the villagers to isolate themselves, during the pandemic. With the community garden, they can generate sustenance and family income, since almost everyone who lives there has no fixed income, and many do not even have income.