“Having participated as an educator in the Rio de Luz Project was a process that illuminated my professional and personal trajectory.”
Thus, in a note, educator Renata Almeida describes her two-month experience in the Baixo Rio Branco and Jauaperi Extractive Reserve.
“I learned a lot about being a child, living connected with nature, about rural education, about simplicity, skills, being in a community, and above all, I learned many ways to respect the forest and its charms. I understood that education is happening and being built all the time: in the collective preparation of flour, in fishing, in the balance that the canoe requires, in working the fields, in games and in socializing.
In each of the ten communities I passed through, I could feel the strength of the forest, the river and the people who live there and take care of the territories. I had the privilege of meeting incredible, inspiring people and learning about caring for nature, the spirits of the forest and many ways of living simply, nourishing oneself with what the Earth and water provide. In fact, I was able to taste different fish, prepared in different ways, always very tasty, which nourished my body and filled me with indescribable riverine energy.
Still filled with joy and teachings, I feel the power that activities such as the environmental education workshops of the Rio de Luz Project have in the communities and, therefore, long life to the Project, so that it continues to illuminate and flow in the lives of many people, allowing people and communities to share more and more experiences and knowledge.
I thank each and every one who crossed my path in this immensity of the Amazon, especially the children, teachers and professors! I take this experience with affection, in my mind and in my heart! Thank you very much to CoopXixuaú, the NGO Amazônia and the Amazon Charitable Trust, for the opportunity and trust!”
We at Amazônia would like to thank Renata, the coordinators of rural schools Alzilete and Oscar, all the teachers and parents and community leaders who made the project a success!
The project is the result of collaboration between the education departments of Amazonas and Roraima, ICMBio, CoopXixuaú, Amazônia and Amazon Charitable Trust, with the support of Rothoblaas, Trentino Insieme, Fosit, Riccio Giramondo, Fondazione Quarta de Matteis and Torchiani Servizi Ecologici.
A big thank you to Projeto BioClimAmazônia – INPA and FAPEAM, Laboratório de Psicologia e Educação Ambiental – INPA for the teaching material.
This collaborative effort is a shining example of what can be achieved when diverse entities come together with a shared purpose.
