The Catitu Institute and the Shawãdawa people of Acre, with support from CESE’s Small Projects Programme, undertook a project aimed at reopening the boundaries of the Arara indigenous land. The land is demarcated, but faces threats from invasion and misinformation among young people regarding the history of the struggle for the territory.
Mari Correia, Director of the Catitu Institute, noted that”This was a crucial stage in a major project, and the support from CESE came at a key moment. We were expecting 20 young people, but, in the end, theircommitment was so great that 80 took part. We needed extra support for transport and food costs, and that’s exactly where CESE came in.”
The partnership was formed because the Shawãdawa people’s local association had certain compliancedifficulties and was unable to run the project itself. So the Catitu Institute – a long-time partner, particularly in activities with indigenous women – took on the role of proponent organization.