Manaus Agile Amazonas' tourism and cultureWith support from the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS) and Amazon Fund/BNDES, business provides opportunity for community members from riverside locations.
Income generation actions focused on textile confection are directly benefiting women from the community Camarácommunity, in the Sustainable Development Reserve (SDR) of Rio Negro. The project, besides income, brings perspectives of entrepreneurship, business management and fosters the self-esteem of riverside women through the production and commercialization of clothes in the reserve.
The initiative is supported by the Amazon Fund/BNDES and was established by the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS), through the Bolsa Floresta Program (PBF), when it identified the potential of Camará women in sewing. The community already had a sewing workshop that was unused, and the female leaders of the community demonstrated the will to take advantage of what they had in order to make the textile confection grow in the region. FAS then offered technical and mechanical training courses with all the women, in addition to providing sewing machines, thread, and fabrics.
During the beginning of August, sewing courses were given by the National Service for Industrial Learning (Senai) for the development of various pieces such as blouses, shorts, underwear, and school uniforms. The pieces that result from the course will be part of exhibitions in parties and other community spaces so that sales can be made.
"They see this as the opening of a new range of opportunities since they already feel able to make clothes. They had the machines, but didn't know how to use them, but now they have the materials, knowledge, and willpower to leverage their future business", says the Bolsa Floresta technician, Augusto Cezar.
For the next stage of the Camará confections project, the community members are looking for improvement and evolution of the products to perfect the productive process. They will be given a second stage of the cutting and sewing course to guarantee the quality of their productions, also by the Foundation. At the FAS headquarters, there will be a showcase with the pieces produced by the Camará Women's Group.
"The great benefit of the project is the appreciation that each one feels for herself, from the moment she is able to contribute to the family income and with professional activities that promote her own growth. It is hoped, in the long run, that we can multiply such actions beyond the surrounding communities and that the community members can take their productions to Iranduba and Novo Airão and also explore new possibilities", says the Bolsa Floresta regional coordinator, Jousanete Dias.
Among 19 communities in the RDS Rio Negro, Camará is the only one where there is a group of women entrepreneurs in the textile industry, the Camará Sewing Women's Group. A total of 10 women are engaged in the association.
Income Generation Program
FAS believes that encouraging sustainable production is the best alternative to increase the income generation of the riverside dwellers and at the same time "make the forest worth more standing than cut down". The Foundation develops activities in the 16 conservation units (UC) where it operates the Income Generation Program (Bolsa Floresta Renda), which seeks to contribute to existing economic activities and co-create others within the perspective of innovation and sustainable development.
