Women of the waters: women shellfish gatherers in the Parnaíba Delta develop economically sustainable project to escape the oil spill and pandemic crises

By Lígia Kloster Apel (project advisor), originally published by “O Corre Diário”

“Develop sustainable actions to strengthen women shellfish gatherers in the Parnaíba Delta Environmental Protection Area through reflection, grassroots communication, protection of life, and social empowerment.” This is the objective of the project Network of Empowered Women in Sustainable Activities (AME-AS) carried out by the Association of Shellfish Gatherers of Ilha Grande do Piauí, headquartered in Porto dos Tatus, with support from the Casa Socio-Environmental Fund.

Among the project actions, the installation of antennas and other equipment to improve the Internet connection in the homes of women shellfish gatherers has enabled a qualitative advance in the self-organization of those women, and also has ensured the human right to communication for those traditional communities. Thus, they can participate in various workshops offered by the project, as well as ensure the continuity of activities already developed, as the meetings interrupted by the pandemic.

It is urgent to seek solutions for the problems created by the new coronavirus pandemic that causes the Covid-19 respiratory disease. This illness is highly lethal, with no vaccine or adequate medication so far, and with its spread still out of control. In addition to the death risk, the social isolation required to control contamination prevents women shellfish gatherers from carrying out their main income-generating activity: gathering and selling shellfish.

Photo: Collection of the Association of Shellfish Gatherers of Ilha Grande do Piauí.

Communities are still suffering the losses of the oil spill along the coast

In the second half of 2019, shellfish gathering was already suffering with the arrival of the oil spill at the Piauí state coast. The meager benefits and aid allocated to artisanal fisherfolk hit by the disaster never arrived at Porto dos Tatus, let alone for women shellfish gatherers, who had their sales contracts cancelled. Before any action could be implemented so their lives could return to normal, the coronavirus pandemic imposed social isolation. Dona Luiza, a shellfish gatherer since her youth, said with concern “things got very complicated. Life became more difficult for us; first, because of oil spill and now with the pandemic.”

Dona Luiza is vice-president of the Association of Shellfish Gatherers of Ilha Grande do Piauí and, although respecting social distancing, she regularly visits women shellfish gatherers to check how they are coping. “I visit the homes of our partners and see how they are suffering. Many of them cry when talking to me because on top of everything they had their benefit discontinued,” she explained. Dona Luiza was referring to cases of women shellfish gatherers who had their Bolsa Família suspended or who did not get the emergency aid, or even women who were left without the two benefits. These cases are being investigated.

Photo: Collection of the Association of Shellfish Gatherers of Ilha Grande do Piauí.

“Everything will be alright,” says the shellfish gatherer

In order to minimize these impacts, planned project activities range from supplying basic food baskets to improving the Internet connection in the homes of women shellfish gatherers. We intend to enable their online proximity and organize interactive lives and training workshops, with participatory methodology, on food, health, fair and solidarity economy, literacy, politics, and citizens’ rights.

For Dona Luiza, the project is a way of breaking the isolation and alleviating suffering: “The situation became quite difficult, but we managed to get this project that was good for us. We got the basic food baskets when we had nothing else to eat. We also got a better Internet. Now we can listen to other people, in places far from here, and we listen what they have to say to cheer us up,” states Dona Luiza, animated by all the activities being developed.

Hopeful about the future, Dona Luiza concludes: “We expect more improvements. And things will be better after the pandemic. This is what I tell the women shellfish gatherers: we are going to improve our life because God is on our side. The most important thing is to get help and everyone to keep their faith because God is on our side.” She adds with typical Piauí strength: “everything will be alright.”

Photo: Collection of the Association of Shellfish Gatherers of Ilha Grande do Piauí.

This project was supported by the Casa Socio-Environmental Fund Emergency Funding Program. Read more about the Casa Fund and its support to emergency projects during the Covid-19 pandemic.