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Fuel of Life - The women coconut breakers of Brazil - by Andrea Testoni

In Medio Mearim, one of the poorest areas of Brazil located in the State of Maranhao, a group of women have been fighting for their rights. They rely on the coconuts of a local palm tree called Babassu to make their living, and that livelihood is under threat. There is an estimative of more than 300.000 people living out of the Babassu economy in Brazil. Since the late 70’s powerful landowners have been fighting to restrict the women’s traditional access to the Babassu trees located on their properties.

The hiring of gunmen by landowners to keep the women from their lands has at times led to serious violence, which was resulted in the deaths of people on both sides. During this time, most of the men form the communities left their family behind to try a better life in the mines. The women were alone with their children to take care. In order to fight back, the women united, and in 1989 they created an association called “The Association of Rural Women Workers” (AMTR: “Associacao das Mulheres Trabalhadoras Rurais”).

This story shows the pride which a group of strong women continue the struggle to provide food for their children and to improve the basic conditions in which they live. Their goals now are to own land to grow food and bring sanitation and electricity to their homes.