Impact Spotlight
Installing 30 home solar systems
First time computer and Internet access for over 200 young people
Access to clean drinking water for 70 households
About
In the Brazilian Amazon, the remote community of Limão do Curuá relies on the management of açaí, shrimp fishing, and extraction of pracaxi oil as its primary economic drivers. Pracaxi oil extraction is carried out by technicians, primarily women, who can produce more than 2 tons per harvest. However, because the extraction process utilizes machinery for pulping, pressing, and water treatment, lack of energy access makes it impossible to expand its commercialization. Meanwhile, the typical process relies on gasoline generators with high operational and environmental costs.
Founded in 2023 by a collective of 70 families, Associação das Mulheres Extrativistas do Limão do Curuá (AMELC) defends the rights of river bank families. The families work together to maintain and grow the community’s economic resources.
“Without electricity, it is not possible to store vaccines and medicines that require refrigeration at the medical center, pump water to supply homes or use computers at school.”
HF Partnership
With support from the Honnold Foundation and technical expertise from local universities and installers, AMELC will install solar systems for families who work in extracting pracaxi oil to power production machinery, water pumping, and other daily needs. Solar will also be used to facilitate expanded healthcare resources, powering vital machinery, including refrigeration for life-saving medicines. Additionally, solar will enable internet installation in local schools to improve communication, local education, and expand e-commerce opportunities.
Extractors will be fully trained in maintaining agricultural systems and processing tools and local teachers will work alongside students to learn about and maintain the new solar internet infrastructure.
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