COVID Relief: Paraguayan Indigenous Communities
Donation protected
Paĩ Tavyterã indigenous communities in north-eastern Paraguay are facing shortages of food and basic supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Paraguayan NGO Ary Ojasojavo is coordinating mutual aid efforts (their letter is below).
The Paĩ Tavyterã have a long history of resistance and resilience. Today, they work to defend their lands, protect ancestral agricultural practices, maintain indigenous plant knowledge and safeguard cultural practices, like communal loom work.
The image is Candida Solano, weaver and community leader, as she tends a variety of potato only found in Paĩ Tavyterã territory.
Ary Ojasojavo is Guaraní for "group supporting transformation.”
This fundraiser is organized by Jennifer Tucker, a professor of Community & Regional Planning at the University of New Mexico who has worked in Paraguay since 2004 and William Costa, a journalist based in Asuncion, Paraguay.
Asunción, Paraguay, 23rd April 2020
URGENT FUNDRAISING APPEAL
Paraguayan Indigenous Communities in need of food and basic supplies during COVID-19 lock-down
This is an urgent call for donations to help members of Paĩ Tavyterã indigenous communities in north-eastern Paraguay: they face a position of extreme vulnerability during Paraguay’s ongoing COVID-19 quarantine. While the Paraguayan state has promised aid, support is not reaching these communities. They need food and basic cleaning supplies to help them get through the crisis.
We at Áry Ojasojavo work with the Paĩ Tavyterã communities on socioenvironmental and cultural projects.
When the Paraguayan government announced that the country would be placed on lock-down to combat COVID-19, it also announced that it would support indigenous communities with food. However, seven weeks after quarantine began, these Paĩ Tavyterã have still not received any state support. State neglect and discrimination towards indigenous peoples is an all-too-common practice of the Paraguayan government.
We have been supporting efforts by the Paĩ Tavyterã Jopotyrã Indigenous Association to demand support from the government. A letter outlining the complaints of these communities has been sent to the Paraguayan government’s Indigenous Institute (INDI).
After holding conversations with community leaders, the decision was taken to start this urgent fundraising appeal. A local logistical network has been organised to get food and supplies from shops in the nearby city of Pedro Juan Caballero to the 11 communities that make up the Paĩ Tavyterã Jopotyrã Indigenous Association.
Many of the families from these communities are still struggling to guarantee their livelihoods following devastating forest fires that destroyed large part of their territories and crops last year. The COVID-19 crisis is now making life even harder for the communities. We know that there are now families do not have enough food to meet their basic needs.
We hope that this appeal will be met with support from generous friends—we will be extremely grateful for any donations that can be offered. We realise that this is an incredibly difficult time for all and that many are already offering support in their own communities: we would also be very appreciative of help in spreading this appeal in order to help us expand and strengthen our support network for the Paĩ Tavyterã indigenous people.
Many thanks for your time.
Kind regards,
Sofía Espíndola Oviedo
Rosa Palazón
Ary Ojasojavo Group for Ancestral and Popular Studies
Luis Arce, indigenous leader
Further Information:
· Communities that form part of the Paĩ Tavyterã Jopotyrã Indigenous Association: Ita Guasu, Jaguatĩ. Pikykua, Panambiy, Itapavusu, Vy’a Pavê, Yvypyte, Yvyty Rovi, Pirary, Jasuka Renda, ha Ñuapy.
· We are supporting leaders from the communities in their efforts to dialogue with the state to find solutions to long-standing problems such as lack of drinking water, roads and seeds.
· We will be collecting donations until mid-June 2020.
· After purchasing and distribution the food and supplies will make an effort to share evidence of these activities and the use of any donations received.
The Paĩ Tavyterã have a long history of resistance and resilience. Today, they work to defend their lands, protect ancestral agricultural practices, maintain indigenous plant knowledge and safeguard cultural practices, like communal loom work.
The image is Candida Solano, weaver and community leader, as she tends a variety of potato only found in Paĩ Tavyterã territory.
Ary Ojasojavo is Guaraní for "group supporting transformation.”
This fundraiser is organized by Jennifer Tucker, a professor of Community & Regional Planning at the University of New Mexico who has worked in Paraguay since 2004 and William Costa, a journalist based in Asuncion, Paraguay.
Asunción, Paraguay, 23rd April 2020
URGENT FUNDRAISING APPEAL
Paraguayan Indigenous Communities in need of food and basic supplies during COVID-19 lock-down
This is an urgent call for donations to help members of Paĩ Tavyterã indigenous communities in north-eastern Paraguay: they face a position of extreme vulnerability during Paraguay’s ongoing COVID-19 quarantine. While the Paraguayan state has promised aid, support is not reaching these communities. They need food and basic cleaning supplies to help them get through the crisis.
We at Áry Ojasojavo work with the Paĩ Tavyterã communities on socioenvironmental and cultural projects.
When the Paraguayan government announced that the country would be placed on lock-down to combat COVID-19, it also announced that it would support indigenous communities with food. However, seven weeks after quarantine began, these Paĩ Tavyterã have still not received any state support. State neglect and discrimination towards indigenous peoples is an all-too-common practice of the Paraguayan government.
We have been supporting efforts by the Paĩ Tavyterã Jopotyrã Indigenous Association to demand support from the government. A letter outlining the complaints of these communities has been sent to the Paraguayan government’s Indigenous Institute (INDI).
After holding conversations with community leaders, the decision was taken to start this urgent fundraising appeal. A local logistical network has been organised to get food and supplies from shops in the nearby city of Pedro Juan Caballero to the 11 communities that make up the Paĩ Tavyterã Jopotyrã Indigenous Association.
Many of the families from these communities are still struggling to guarantee their livelihoods following devastating forest fires that destroyed large part of their territories and crops last year. The COVID-19 crisis is now making life even harder for the communities. We know that there are now families do not have enough food to meet their basic needs.
We hope that this appeal will be met with support from generous friends—we will be extremely grateful for any donations that can be offered. We realise that this is an incredibly difficult time for all and that many are already offering support in their own communities: we would also be very appreciative of help in spreading this appeal in order to help us expand and strengthen our support network for the Paĩ Tavyterã indigenous people.
Many thanks for your time.
Kind regards,
Sofía Espíndola Oviedo
Rosa Palazón
Ary Ojasojavo Group for Ancestral and Popular Studies
Luis Arce, indigenous leader
Further Information:
· Communities that form part of the Paĩ Tavyterã Jopotyrã Indigenous Association: Ita Guasu, Jaguatĩ. Pikykua, Panambiy, Itapavusu, Vy’a Pavê, Yvypyte, Yvyty Rovi, Pirary, Jasuka Renda, ha Ñuapy.
· We are supporting leaders from the communities in their efforts to dialogue with the state to find solutions to long-standing problems such as lack of drinking water, roads and seeds.
· We will be collecting donations until mid-June 2020.
· After purchasing and distribution the food and supplies will make an effort to share evidence of these activities and the use of any donations received.
Fundraising team (2)
Jennifer Tucker
Organizer
Raised $15 from 1 donation
Santa Fe, NM
William Costa
Team member
This team raised $2,605 from 38 other donations.
