intro NAPRA

Núcleo de Apoio à População Ribeirinha da Amazônia
(Organization for the Support and Development of Riverside Communities in the Amazon Rainforest)
www.napra.org.br
NAPRA began its activities in 1995 and it became an
independent non-profit organisation in 2003. NAPRA’s
mission is to support and strengthen riverside
communities situated in isolated areas of the Amazon
forest, surrounded by legal conservation units. These
populations are generally excluded from basic public
services. NAPRA has a fixed base lodge on the Baixo
Madeira River, a branch of the Amazon River in the São
Carlos do Jamari community. The organisation is
currently composed of 60 professionals, lecturers, and
undergraduate and post-graduate student volunteers
from more than ten universities in Brazil. Student volunteers involved in NAPRA’s work
learn about the needs of the local communities and have the opportunity to apply their
knowledge and skills in real-life situations.
NAPRA’s main activities are in the areas of education,
health services and sustainable income generation.
NAPRA helps riverside communities to develop
alternative sources of income based on sustainable
forestry management. In this area, NAPRA is now
helping to develop a mini-factory to manufacture nontimber
forest products in an isolated community, with
the objective of providing a stable annual income for
the surrounding communities. This project is being
carried out with the collaboration of the following
project partners: students from the course of the Department Assembly Technology and
Factory Management of the TU Berlin, the Instituto Fábrica do Milênio (IFM); Núcleo de
Manufatura Avancada (NUMA) of the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and the
Stellenbosch University in Maiteland, South Africa.
Projects
Núcleo de Apoio à População Ribeirinha da Amazônia
(Organization for the Support and Development of Riverside Communities in the Amazon Rainforest)
www.napra.org.br
The traditional communities along the rivers in the Amazon are vital for the preservation of
the adjacent forest. NAPRA fully believes that support for the livelihoods of the target
communities will in turn foster the preservation of their environment and natural habitats. In
addition, strengthening and empowering traditional communities by helping them to develop
their livelihoods in a sustainable manner is the primary way of deterring the strong tendency
of riverside people to migrate to urban areas.
NAPRA’s longstanding and successful experience is based on the following principles (i)
engaging in dialogue with communities about their needs; (ii) establishing long lasting
relationships of trust with the communities; (iii) encouraging and valuing traditional culture;
(iv) participating in setting short and long term objectives; and (v) promoting the facilitation of
multisector projects based on community needs. In following these principles, NAPRA spurs
sustainable development decisions from within communities themselves.
Alliances and participatory networks
NAPRA participates in Committee meetings for the Development of the Plan for Rural Area
Education of the city of Porto Velho, the capital of Rondonia state, sharing its expertise with
local government authorities. NAPRA and the secretary of education of Porto Velho are
currently carrying out a full-year plan in which NAPRA will be the main capacity builder for
local teachers.
In the area of participatory governance, NAPRA carried out a socio-economic diagnostic of
the area with IBAMA, the national agency for Environment and Renewable Natural
Resources. As a result, NAPRA now plays a significant role as a member of the
Consultative Council for the development of the management plan for the three
conservation units by which the riverside communities of Baixo Madeira River are
surrounded (Esec Cunia, Flona Jacunda and Resex Cunia, approximately 400,000 hectares
in total). Furthermore, NAPRA, as an independent party, was invited to be the mediator for
the establishment of the Council conducting discussions among different stakeholders, such
as government, civil society and companies.
In 2006, NAPRA executed a pioneering project called Telemedicina, where medical services
were provided to isolated communities in the Amazon. This project employed internet
satellite communication using a high speed connexion, which allowed for video conferences
between the Centre of Telemedicina of Manaus, Amazonas State and Santa Catarina
community. The following services were provided to the riverside communities: (i) second
medical opinions by remote expert doctors; (ii) tele-education, remote lectures and (iii)
discussion of clinical cases. This groundbreaking project was performed by NAPRA, in
partnership with the following organisations: GO Doctor, ITMS, Centro de Telemedicina da
Núcleo de Apoio à População Ribeirinha da Amazônia
(Organization for the Support and Development of Riverside Communities in the Amazon Rainforest)
www.napra.org.br
Amazônia, Telespazio, doctors from diverse institutions from Sao Paulo state, IBAMA-RO,
SEMED (local education secretary) and SEMUSA (local health secretary Amazônia,
Telespazio, doctors from diverse institutions from Sao Paulo state, IBAMA-RO, SEMED
(local education secretary) and SEMUSA (local health secretary).
January, 2007
www.napra.org.br
e-mail: contato@napra.org.br