ADRA will take food to needy families in Amapá after weeks of blackouts

Since the beginning of the crisis due to the lack of electricity in 13 of the 16 municipalities in Amapá, the  Adventist Development and Assistance Resources Agency ( ADRA ) has been providing support to families affected by the blackout.

The remote northern Amazon rainforest state, which borders French Guiana, has an area roughly twice the size of Ireland, has 860,000 residents, the AFP news service reported. “Stores have no fresh food, and many residents have been left with no water because they depend on electric pumps,” the wire service noted on November 19, reporting that protests have been sparked by the continuing blackouts.

So far, an average of U.S. $6,500 (Brazilian Reals 35,000) has been raised in solidarity campaigns promoted by the entity to serve around 150 families in the state. The amount was invested in approximately 8,000 gallons of water (30,000 litres) to meet the basic needs of families.

With the gradual return of electricity, water began to return to the taps of homes, but the impacts are still being felt, mainly by the population living in the peripheral area of ​​the municipalities, the most affected by the crisis.

“Our goal is to raise [an additional] Brazilian Reals 35,000 to serve the population with at least 300 basic food baskets, and thus alleviate their suffering at the end of the year.” said, Sérgio Fuckner, regional ADRA director for Pará state. According to Fábio Duarte, who is in charge of the Adventist Solidarity Action (ASA) for Pará and Amapá, donations continue to arrive.

The director of the missionary post of the Adventist Church in Amapá, pastor Josué de Almeida, said the moves identify Adventists as people in solidarity with their community. “Society can feel that there is a people they can count on at this time of crisis,” he said.

Social responsibility

The goal is to support 300 vulnerable families affected by the blackout and offer complementary food aid through the distribution of basic food baskets, in the amount of 120 reals, over a period of one month. Families that have already received a water delivery will be served will also get the food baskets.

“Our coordinators in the State of Pará say that Amapá residents have lost jobs, businesses, there are tons of spoiled food and hunger is increasing. To this end, we want to raise funds to help these most vulnerable communities,” said Fabio Salles, director of ADRA Brazil. He also highlights the partnership between the agency, the Adventist Church in the northern region, the Adventist College of the Amazon (Faama), and the religious organization Home Perdizes.

Those who will be served live in the neighborhoods of Delta do Matapi, Santana-Ap, and areas of Ressaca, in the city of Macapá. Within this group, single-parent families, especially women, will be prioritized; families with pregnant women, nursing mothers, and infants; families with elderly dependents; families with dependents with chronic illnesses, or special needs; as well as people who live alone who are elderly, with chronic illnesses, or have special needs.

The initiative began on Wednesday, November 25, and will continue until December 5 with various motivational actions.

Digital support, real result

To encourage people to contribute with donations, on December 5 a solidarity live will be held, at 3 pm, promoted from the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Pará, and will have the participation of representatives from the Church departments and from the musical group Semear and other guest artists.

The program will be broadcast on the church’s Youtube and Facebook channels Adventistas Norte and Vocal Semear, and Internet users will be able to donate digitally during or after the event.

For more details and to collaborate, visit adra.org.br

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site