Fundo Vale attended event that brought together more than 150 people in Alter do Chão, Pará, to discuss connectivity challenges and solutions in the Amazon
Photo: Gerdeson Oliveira / Dzawi Filmes
Challenges related to connectivity in the Amazon were the subject of the First Meeting of the Forest Peoples Connection Network, held in the village of Alter do Chão in the municipality of Santarém, Pará, between June 5 and 7. The event celebrated the Forest Peoples Connection project’s first anniversary, bringing together representatives of traditional communities in the Amazon, grassroots organizations, private institutions, civil society organizations and government representatives for a series of activities.
The Forest Peoples Connection Network aims to connect more than 5,000 indigenous groups, quilombos (settlements composed of descendants of runaway slaves), extractive groups and riverside communities in the Amazon via broadband internet. The initiative is led by three grassroots organizations – the National Association of Rural Quilombo Communities (CONAQ), Association of Indigenous Organizations in the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB) and National Council of Extractive Groups (CNS) – in partnership with more than 30 civil society organizations, institutions and companies. Fundo Vale is one of the funding partners and is part of the network.
So far, more than 710 communities have been connected through the network, benefiting around 80,000 people. By the end of 2025, the aim is to connect approximately 1 million people living in officially protected areas of the Amazon, which are responsible for conserving 120 million hectares of forest.
“This initiative goes far beyond simply giving these communities access to broadband internet. It also promotes the conscious use of the internet, transforming it into a tool for access to rights, empowerment, social transformation and forest protection. By supporting this initiative, we are helping provide thousands of people with access to education, health and income-generating opportunities,” explains Patrícia Daros, Fundo Vale’s executive director.
Photo: Alice Arida
Over the course of three days of activities, the participants discussed the first year of the project’s implementation and the main advances made. They also debated the challenges involved in the next steps toward responsible connectivity and the promotion of necessary public policies.
“There was a very productive exchange of ideas. This direct contact with indigenous groups, quilombos, extractive producers and riverside communities is of fundamental importance for us to better understand the specific characteristics of each location and thereby target investments more assertively,” says Márcia Soares, Fundo Vale’s Amazon and partnerships manager.
Discover the Forest Peoples Connection Network’s Manifesto
We are the Forest Peoples Connection Network, and we are committed to contributing as much as we can to connect all the communities of the Brazilian Amazon in a conscious and safe way.
⏯ Watch and share this video, which sets out the full Manifesto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY21yqcjqlQ