Guarani villages in RS now have access to solar energy
Two Guarani villages in Rio Grande do Sul now have their own solar energy generation systems thanks to the initiative of the Air, Water and Land Project, carried out by the Institute of Cultural and Environmental Studies – IECAM, with sponsorship from Petrobras through the Petrobras Socioenvironmental Program.
The installations were made in Teko'a Anhetenguá (Aldeia da Verdade, in Porto Alegre/RS) and Teko'a Yvyty Porã (Aldeia Serra Bonita , in Maquiné/RS ), with technologies adapted to the reality and needs of each community.
A photovoltaic system was installed in the Porto Alegre village nursery, combining cost and performance, consisting of a solar panel, battery and converter. Although more complex in terms of maintenance and operation, the choice was made due to the proximity of the IECAM technical team, which can monitor the operation and perform frequent inspections. In Serra Bonita, in Teko'a Yvyty Porã , a difficult-to-access village where the respected Guarani leader José Verá lives, a portable and easy-to-use solution was adopted: a pre-assembled solar power station, with all components integrated. The system allows residents to directly connect devices such as cell phones, notebooks and refrigerators, ensuring energy autonomy in situations of power outages.
“This village was chosen because of its extremely isolated location, where access is difficult and power outages often last for days, compromising communication in emergencies,” explains Denise Wolf, coordinator of the Air, Water and Land Project and president of IECAM. “In addition, Chief José is a guardian of Guarani traditions, a spiritual leader recognized for his wisdom and a reference for other communities.”
The new systems go beyond a sustainable alternative to traditional energy supply: they represent an important step in valuing the autonomy of indigenous communities and strengthening solutions connected to nature. The initiative, a pioneer among Guarani villages in Rio Grande do Sul, also engages with the global debate on global warming and the search for energy transition, paving the way for future implementation of autonomous and clean energy matrices in other indigenous communities.
More than that, its implementation ensures that the Guarani are not disconnected at critical moments — a demand expressed by the village residents themselves.
“It is very important to have a form of energy that does not leave us isolated and helps us with consumption costs,” said Chief José after receiving the station in the village.
The Air, Water and Land Project also includes the installation of a wind energy system at the craft kiosk in the Guarani village in Osório, reinforcing the commitment to nature-based solutions and strengthening the autonomy of indigenous communities.
Currently in its fourth phase, the Project has already planted more than 30,000 seedlings, restored ten hectares of degraded areas or converted into farms and agroforests, and preserved more than three thousand hectares of Indigenous Lands. The initiative has also prevented the emission of more than seven thousand tons of CO2-e and promoted more than 150 environmental education actions. These results contribute to the preservation of biodiversity in Rio Grande do Sul and the fight against climate change.
“We cannot live without the earth, the sun, the plants, the water, the fish. We are part of all of this. We are not separate from the earth, we are all one family, we are all relatives. Everything has meaning: trees, wind, rain, thunder, everything is treated as one, it is not separated. The forest has its own organization, it has a leader, it has children, it looks like a human being. It needs partnership with humans. When there are several people, the desire to think together grows,” says chief José Cirilo, indigenous coordinator of the project in the Anhetenguá Village, in Porto Alegre.
Since 2012, IECAM has been conducting the Project with a participatory and intercultural approach, developing solutions in partnership with indigenous communities, through the valorization of ancestral knowledge and indigenous protagonism, with support from the Petrobras Socioenvironmental Program.
More than 300 indigenous people — including women, men and children — participate according to their gifts and knowledge. The actions involve the recovery of traditional practices, nurseries, environmental recovery, food production using agroecological techniques, as well as the exchange of seeds and seedlings to strengthen food security and the autonomy of the villages.
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