Brazil - Medical aid for indigenous people

The new TARGET health center for the indigenous Guarani-Kaiowá people in Brazil is quickly taking shape under construction manager Brayan Reis and his team. Work began in September and the majority of the building, which consists of a small residential building for the medical team and an infirmary including a dentist's room, is already complete. The infirmary will provide round-the-clock healthcare for around 500 Guarani-Kaiowás, together with our cooperation partner, the Brazilian Ministry of Health. They will supply medicines, equipment and staff. TARGET is responsible for the maintenance of the buildings.

In May 2019 - before coronavirus - Sophie and Roman visited the small village of Arroyo Corá in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul at the invitation of chief Dionísio Guarani-Kaiowá. Dionísio has a vision. After a long struggle, he has fought to reclaim 7,000 hectares of his ancestral land from the hands of agribusiness and large landowners. His plan: "Our land, our future" - a convincing concept, a chief who is committed to moving forward. And a place where no other international organization is active. This is where TARGET can make a difference for the 500 or so Guarani-Kaiowá, who are modestly but resolutely building a future for their children on the foundation of their past. And we are not starting from scratch: There is already a new school where the children receive regular lessons. TARGET is now providing a solid infirmary.

The floor plan: On the left the residential building for the medical team, on the right the infirmary

This new infirmary will hopefully be the first of many more in the future. We are the only international NGO to have succeeded in concluding a cooperation agreement with the Brazilian Ministry of Health, which enables us to work with all indigenous peoples. Thanks to 20 years of exemplary work among and with the Waiãpi!

Roman and Sophie from the TARGET Board with Chief Dionisio and children

But it is largely up to you, the loyal TARGET supporters. After all, in addition to the construction costs, wards also involve long-term maintenance costs. We are therefore entering into long-term financial commitments. With a regular donation, you help us to fulfill this commitment together. Ultimately, the calculation is simple: the more financial resources we have at our disposal, the more indigenous peoples we can bring urgently needed health care to. And the more loyal supporters we have at our and their side with regular donations, the more reliably we can maintain these projects. We look forward to continuing to write TARGET indigenous history together.

You can read more about the new infirmary and how it came about in the 2021 annual letter from page 17:
www.target-nehberg.de/de/jahresbrief