The Water Project
Rio Humaitá
Guilherme Meneses
Author
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The water project was completed in early 2019 and aimed to drill two artesian wells in the Kaxinawá indigenous land of Rio Humaitá. The artesian wells are between 20 to 35 meters deep, each equipped with an industrial filter and solar pumping. Each village was also equipped with water storage tower with a capacity of 9000 liters each. The villages chosen by the communities for the installation of the wells are Novo Futuro and Boa Sorte.
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In order to provide a sustainable solution for this project it is essential to install a solar powered well pump system, which will operate independently of the village’s solar power system. This eco-friendly form of pumping will end the dependence on fossil fuel (diesel and gasoline).
Villagers celebrate the completion of the water tower in Village Novo Futuro
This eco-friendly form of pumping will end the dependence on fossil fuel (diesel and gasoline).
Prior to clean implementation of wells, the villagers often relied on water direct from the river, exposing them to silt and infection
Another important element is the industrial filter, which is responsible for removing the impurities and providing quality water. According to studies presented by the Brazilian government, the presence of impure drinking water in communities such as this reduces child mortality by 50%, still very significant among Brazilian indigenous people. In addition, the presence of pure drinking water will inhibits large amount of diseases and infections.
Health is the main and most basic necessity of life, and this project, we believe, will offer an improvement in the quality of life of people who live in a difficult reality, where they have to endure strong heat, massive presence of insects, and lack of food diversity.
The monitoring of the work by APOTI (Associação Povos da Terra) with the service providers was very important. By being together, we could help to make decisions to guide workers on the most sensible path in order to get the best result of the structures. In addition, we could follow the step-by-step drilling process of wells and also observe how the drilling machinery works.
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It was also important to be together with the Huni Kuin and the communities at large to give them information and to rely on their support for what was needed on their part to help them achieve a better result.
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Throughout the project, meetings of APOTI with the communities were held before and during the ​V Huni Kuin Festival Eskawatã Kayawai,​ as well as with the service provider, Mr. Antônio Carlos Dourado, in both villages. During the Festival, the Huni Kuin thanked ​Deep Forest Foundation​, Sergey and Katya as well as APOTI.
Completed water tower in Village Boa Sorte