Livestream Home Page - Amazon Emergency Fund

A GLOBAL ALLIANCE STANDING WITH THE GUARDIANS OF THE RAINFOREST

RAPID RESPONSE GRANTS FOR URGENT PREVENTION AND CARE, FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AND EVACUATION, PROTECTION AND SECURITY FOR FOREST GUARDIANS, FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

100% OF INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS GO DIRECTLY TO INDIGENOUS
AND FOREST PEOPLES FACING COVID-19 IN THE AMAZON

WEBINAR REPORT

COVID-19 IN THE AMAZON

"STORIES FROM THE FRONT LINES"

Tune into our 30-minute program followed by 30 minutes of Q&A. This on-the-ground reporting highlights how our fundraising efforts have provided critical support to indigenous peoples combating COVID-19, and how together we can (and must) continue this work.

Speakers include: Gregorio Mirabal, General Coordinator, COICA; Atossa Soltani, Founder, Amazon Watch; Leila Salazar-Lopez, Executive Director, Amazon Watch; Suzanne Pelletier, Executive Director, Rainforest Foundation US; Tabea Casique, COICA.

COVID-19 IS QUICKLY SPREADING ACROSS THE AMAZON BASIN, THREATENING THE LIVES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIES — THE GUARDIANS OF THE FOREST.

Amazonian communities face multiple threats as the pandemic spreads across the forest, including increased violence, high levels of morbidity and mortality, a lack of access to healthcare and protective equipment, food scarcity, lack of income and environmental catastrophes including increased deforestation, oil spills, fires and floods.

For over 500 years, indigenous peoples of the Amazon and across the Americas have faced invasions and loss of their ancestral territories, ethnic and socioeconomic discrimination, and the constant threat of physical and cultural extermination resulting in displacement, disease and genocide.

Now, indigenous peoples – particularly the elders, wisdomkeepers and those living in voluntary isolation – are gravely at risk by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional forest communities are similarly threatened, including riverine communities, quilombolas, rubber-tappers and other populations who defend the forest with their lives.

COVID-19 HOTSPOTS IN THE AMAZON

SOURCE: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, CENTER FOR SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.

NOTE: TRACKING CASES OF COVID-19 IN THE AMAZON IS PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING DUE TO THE REMOTE
LOCATION OF COMMUNITIES AND A LACK OF RELIABLE DATA COLLECTION SERVICES.

A GLOBAL SOLIDARITY CIRCLE

The Amazon Emergency Fund (AEF) is a newly-formed coalition of 30+ indigenous Amazonian federations and non-governmental organizations working in partnership to deliver humanitarian aid to communities impacted by the novel coronavirus in the Amazon basin.

We work by combining resources and collaborating to direct rapid response grants to indigenous and forest peoples and grassroots organizations in the Amazon who are calling upon the global community to stand in solidarity with them during this emergency.

"We're on the verge of a genocide due to the lack of attention from governments and national health services. Thank you, brothers and sisters from across the planet, for supporting this Amazon Emergency Fund."

GREGORIO MIRABAL

GENERAL COORDINATOR, COICA

"There has never been a greater urgency to support indigenous communities across the Amazon. Indigenous people are struggling to protect themselves from COVID-19 while continuing to safeguard the tropical forests that the world needs to fight the worst impacts of the Climate Crisis. Now is the time for everyone, individuals and organizations, to come together to support indigenous peoples who are absolutely essential to rainforest protection and whose lives and cultures are at risk."

SUZANNE PELLETIER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RAINFOREST FOUNDATION US

"The Amazon Emergency Fund helps to bring much needed resources to indigenous peoples across the Amazon. In many of our communities there is not adequate food, medicine and personal protective equipment. The Amazon Emergency Fund is making a significant impact in meeting these needs."

MICHAEL MCGARRELL

POLICY OFFICER, AMERINDIAN PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION (APA)

"In solidarity with Indigenous peoples and forest communities, who protect the Amazon and climate, we are responding to these crises via the Amazon Emergency Fund to stop the destruction and potential ethnocide. Now is the time to show our support and solidarity! Please join us!"

LEILA SALAZAR-LOPEZ

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMAZON WATCH

THE AMAZON EMERGENCY FUND IS HELPING TO BRING THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO FOREST PEOPLES:

FUNDS DISBURSED TO FOREST COMMUNITIES

OUR IMPACT

Since May 2020, AEF has supported the distribution of emergency resources and services to approximately 54,350 people in 9 countries across the Amazon. To learn more about AEF’s strategy and impacts, read our latest program overview (ENG/ESP/POR).