THE CHALLENGE

Brazil’s Amazonas territory may be covered in fruitful, green rainforest and beautiful mountains, but it is also an area that has suffered extreme poverty and lack of mainstream sanitation and healthcare for years. 

JOINING FORCES TO FIND A LONG-TERM SOLUTION

Since 2011, IDIS, CAF’s partner in Brazil, has led vital work in the Amazonas territories to increase wellbeing in the area.

The team first established an early childhood development programme, in partnership with the Bernard Van Leer Foundation, to educate parents and help prevent malnutrition and long-term health conditions in children and young people.

Working in conjunction with Banco do Brasil Foundation, who run a Social Technologies database (applying technology for specific social purposes), IDIS worked to introduce simple, easy-to-use solutions to address the multitude of problems of insanitation, malnutrition and access to drinkable water.

Since the start of the collaboration, IDIS and their partners have earnt themselves the support of local governments, organisations, and schools and have helped them adopt standards of practice to ensure that future generations of Amazonian communities are able to lead long and healthy lives. 

IDIS amazonas girls

DRIVING IMPACTFUL CHANGE

Thanks to the partnership with the Bernard Van Leer Foundation and the Banco do Brasil Foundation, IDIS has helped improve the infrastructure in the area by successfully introducing new public policy on early childhood development and implementing viable and easy-to-use solutions to help communities in the long term.

IDIS was able to help mitigate a lot of ongoing health issues, as well as educate local organisations and members of the community on how to access clean water and maintain healthy lifestyles. This was achieved by applying three new social good technologies, including: low-cost devices used to test iron deficiency and anaemia in children; using an age-old water decontamination technique called SODIS; and implementing Ecological Riverine Toilets.

Further impact from the programme

Speaking about the project, a representative from Banco de Brasil Foundation said: “Our work with IDIS was ground-breaking and we were able to reach and help so many people who previously were geographically isolated.

“Thanks to the partnership, we were able to implement long-term changes that are sustainable and easy to pass on. We hope that the project will lead to a better quality of life for many generations to come.”

37.8% reduction in levels of anaemia

A drastic reduction of levels in anaemia in children, from 40.5% (WHO considers 5% the acceptable level) to only 2.7%

Access to clean water

IDIS has taught seven different communities how to clean the water using the SODIS method. As a result, thousands of people now have access to drinkable water.

Reducing water contamination

IDIS was able to implement Ecological Riverine Toilets to contain waste in a safe way and help avoid the contamination of water.

IDIS AND THE CAF GLOBAL ALLIANCE

IDIS Brazil is a partner of the CAF Global Alliance, a network of nine locally-led, independent organisations that work across six continents.

Over the last 25 years, the Global Alliance and its international presence has led to breakthroughs and social change that’s had a positive effect on the lives of millions of vulnerable and disadvantaged people and communities.

At its core, the Global Alliance works to help strengthen civil society worldwide as part of the Charities Aid Foundation, a champion for giving that works to help donors, companies and charities make a bigger impact.

CAF International

By working with with local experts, CAF International has helped make a real difference to communities around the world.

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