Grassroots International and the Landless Workers Movement in Brazil are supporting new projects to develop independent news sources that tell the workers’ and peasants’ side of the story.
Last month the Jean -Jacques Brigade of International Solidarity with Haiti held various activities in the women's and production sectors.
Flavio Barbosa, who organizes with Grassroots International partner the Landless Workers Movement (MST) in Ceará, Brazil, stopped by our offices in Boston last week. He shared a solidarity message from the MST to immigrants and refugees facing persecution in the United States and at the border. As he states in the video, "People should be free to live and choose a place where they can be well with their family."
In 2017 Grassroots International launched the Global Peasant Solidarity Movement Building Initiative, a series of projects coordinated in collaboration with our partner the Landless Workers Movement/ Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST). This initiative, now in its second year, supports international social movements as they strengthen the infrastructure of regional learning centers, independent media production and popular communications trainings, political education, and global solidarity.
Below is the declaration created from the latest Alternative World Water Forum that occurred on March 17-22, 2018, which several of our partners signed.
On this World Water Day, we want to honor the movements in Latin America struggling for their human right to water.
Test show that people affected by November 2015 hydrodam disaster in Brazil are contaminated with nickel and arsenic.
From Brazilian mass movement building to pinpoint alternatives and retain the countryside, to Honduran reclamation of natural resources through food sovereignty, agroecology, and climate justice, to relentless Palestinian efforts of upholding international law and defending human rights, people are challenging destructive political orders. Doing so is a collective act of resilience and resistance, ‘grabbing back’ in order to move forward in uncertain times.
Without a doubt, 2017 brought tremendous challenges to people around the world – and also witnessed amazing feats of resilience, resistance and resolve. Together with our global partners and committed US-based supporters, Grassroots International celebrates many remarkable accomplishments.
The Landless Workers Movement (MST) has had an active presence in the Governador Valadares region and in other areas along the Doce River. They began organizing people who had been affected by the dam disaster, people who had suffered the consequences including job loss and lack of clean water.
In September 2017 a delegation of 30 human rights, land, and food experts traveled around the Matopiba region of Brazil on a fact-finding mission supported by Grassroots International and ally organizations. The delegation found “high levels of agrochemical pollution, diminishing natural resources, land grabbing, as well as significant impact on the health of traditional communities, resulting from increasing soy plantations.”
Solidarity Program Officer Lydia Simas spoke to two survivors of the 2015 Mariana dam disaster -- the greatest environmental disaster in Brazil's history. Maria and Raiane, activists in the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), talked about the ongoing struggle to hold mega mining corp Samarco accountable.
The Grassroots Climate Solutions Fund (GCSF) is excited to announce its first round of grant awards to 11 grassroots climate justice organizations operating around the world who are building local resilience – not only for when the most acute suffering or injustice occurs, but for a thriving future.
Addressing this injustice the anti-dam network known as the Movement of People Affected by Hydro Dams (MAR) works throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America to protect river systems and riverine communities from the onslaught of hydro-electric and mining dam megaprojects. Through advocacy and education efforts on water rights, dams, and anti-dam movements, members have been able to increase their skills in organizing and advocating across the hemisphere.
We went to Mexico to participate in an international learning exchange hosted by Grassroots’ allies Thousand Currents and their partner in Chiapas, the Civic Association for Economic and Social Development of Indigenous Mexicans (DESMI). The learning exchange brought together 120 small farmers and Indigenous Peoples from 11 different countries to share their knowledge and strategies towards advancing food sovereignty and buen vivir.
The new government in Brazil is unrolling austerity policies that are eroding working families’ political gains. In this interview, a member of the MST reflects on the danger and potential of this current moment, highlighting opportunities to build alternatives to capitalism as the current economic system flounders.
Grassroots International was honored to be in attendance at the VIIth International Conference of La Via Campesina and gathered some of our partners' perspectives and thoughts about the conference and their work in the below photo blog.
