Women's Projects
In our cooperation with the Huni Kuin, an essential focus is the collaboration and empowerment of women. Today's women generally have fewer financial and economic resources, are less likely to hold leadership or decision-making positions and generally have a lower social position. For this reason, we are supporting a Huni Kuin women's initiative from 2022 to found the first Huni Kuin women's association: Aibu Dayá (women's work in Hatxã Kuin).
Association Ainbu Dayá
The desire for a women's club of our own has been brought to our attention several times. At the beginning of 2022 the time had come: together with the local women and our lawyer Federico, we created an association structure that is represented by Huni Kuin women from different villages on the Rio Jordão and Rio Tarauacá rivers.
Ainbu Dayá means “work of the women” in Hatxa Kuin, the indigenous language of the Huni Kuin. In 2022, Jaci was in Jordão and founded the first indigenous women's association in the region together with the 5 Huni Kuin women Bunke, Txanani, Rita, Ozelia and Batani and their communities: Ainbu Dayá. In the meantime, the association has started working with 26 villages from all parts of the Jordão and Alto Tarauacá rivers. Ainbu Dayá is connected to various local partner organizations.
Nowadays our women's projects are mainly implemented in cooperation and under the execution of Ainbu Dayá.
Ainbu Dayá - Focus
Female Empowerment
Ainbu Dayá is an association run by women. The projects aim to support women in their basic rights, economically, in their fight for their forest and for their communities.
Health
Women play a central role in the context of health, since they are primarily responsible for childbirth, the care and support of children and the elderly.
Ainbu Dayá is currently working with Brazilian partners to build up political pressure to obtain financial support for the traditional midwives. We as Living Gaia e.V. regularly support Huni Kuin women in medical emergencies.
Sustainable Infrastructure
Due to the changed living conditions caused by the non-indigenous people and due to climate change, the Huni Kuin had to give up their traditional, nomadic way of life. Among other things, there is a lack of adequate drinking water, medical and food supplies.
Education
By organizing local projects in the Huni Kuin villages and in the small town of Jordão, Ainbu Dayá tries to strengthen the knowledge and tradition of the Huni Kuin and at the same time to promote access to non-indigenous educational and organizational structures.
Project Overview
Encontro of Huni Kuin Women
The Encontro is an annual gathering of the Huni Kuin women in the Jordão region. All representatives of the Huni Kuin villages of the rivers Taruacá and Jordão are invited.
Women's Center in Jordão
We support the Huni Kuin women and the Ainbu Dayá association in opening the first community and women's house in Jordão.
Jewelry & Textile Project
A jewelry project for indigenous women to earn an income is an important initiative that is social and sustainable. By promoting and protecting these traditional skills, we can help ensure that this art and culture is preserved and passed on.
Encontro of the Huni Kuin Women
The Encontro (annual meeting) gives the Huni Kuin women the opportunity to exchange ideas. On the one hand to pass on the culture and knowledge between generations and villages and on the other hand to advise on projects, situations, emergencies and ideas. Projects can be developed together and coordinated with non-indigenous institutions. The first Encontro took place in April 2023.
Vision
Ainbu Dayá's wish is, among other things, to bring the Huni Kuin women together, to represent them and to work on projects together. It is important to work collaboratively, structurally and integrative. Practically, that means with as many villages and families as possible. We invited indigenous representatives from the Jordão region to the Encontros in 2023 and 2024. In the coming years, indigenous women from other regions will also be able to take part. Ainbu Dayá wants to know what is important to the women, what the current difficulties and emergencies are, which projects should be implemented, and much more. The Encontro also supports women to step up in their leadership roles and connect with other Indigenous women in leadership positions.
Women's Center in Jordao
For the Huni Kuin women, we want to support the indigenous women's association Ainbu Dayá in creating a women's center in Jordão. A work, community and meeting place is structurally essential for the further development and independence of the work of the Huni Kuin women. Support the women directly in buying a property and house in Jordão
Why is a women's center needed?
Workshops, community and meeting rooms for the women with regard to education, health, social justice, gender equality are a significant basis.
Here some examples:
Jewelry sale
A community place where women can safely and officially sell and display their jewelry. Selling jewellery, handicrafts and art is one of the main sources of income for women.
Community Spaces
A place for meetings, workshops and exchange.
Internetconnection
Communication with the outside world is becoming increasingly important.
For example, online courses for indigenous people are offered by the state.
Jewelry & Textile Project
A jewelry project for indigenous women to earn an income is a great initiative that is social, sustainable and helps support traditional crafts. Indigenous women often struggle to find work and income, which can lead to financial insecurity and dependency. By promoting their skills in traditional crafts and marketing their jewelry, these women can earn a sustainable income and improve their livelihoods.
Social
Selling traditional jewelry and handicrafts is one of the main sources of income for many Huni Kuin women in Jordão, Acre. Today, many communities depend on city-sourced products for food, transportation, medical supplies, and more. Reasons for this are too small territories, climate change, river pollution and much more. Overall, a jewelry project for Indigenous women to earn an income is a great way to nurture the skills and traditional crafts of these women, while helping to improve their livelihoods and supporting cultural diversity.
Sustainable
In addition, it is important that the project is sustainable. This means that the women are paid fairly and that the project is environmentally friendly. Indigenous communities like the Huni Kuin have a close relationship with nature and it is important that we respect and preserve this relationship.
Supporting indigenous culture and tradition
An important aspect of this project is the support of traditional handicrafts. Indigenous peoples often have long histories of crafts and arts that have spanned generations. By promoting and protecting these traditional skills, we can help ensure that this art and culture is preserved and passed on.
Support our work!
As a non-profit association, we depend on donations.
Here you can directly support the projects with the Huni Kuin women.
To do this, enter the keyword "women's projects" in the "Subject" field.
All donations are tax-deductible.
You can donate by bank transfer to our association account
Living Gaia e.V.
IBAN: DE48 4306 0967 1150 1986 00
BIC: GENODEM1GLS
or via our donation page