Thank you, Women of Pintadas!

What women are doing to help our Mother Earth and create sustainability for themselves.

​This photo is from an open dump in the municipality of Pintadas, Bahia, in the dry portion northeast of Brazil.

Some considerations: according to Law 12305 of 2/8/2010, it is the responsibility of individuals, companies and public services to collect and dispose of solid waste throughout the national territory. This law assigns individualized and linked responsibilities to manufacturers, importers and traders, consumers and public service holders, defines actions such as: selective collection, creation and development of cooperatives and associations, technical and financial cooperation and environmental education. It divides responsibilities across national, state, regional and municipal plans. It delegates to the states the constitution of micro regions, where small municipalities together, can seek resources from the Union, presenting plans with consortium solutions, with diagnosis of origin, volume and selective garbage collection. All very good, if it were true!

Where are the chains of responsibilities?

​Public authorities and the packaging industry?

The first photo at the top clearly shows the lack of any policy or plan for the garbage collection of solid waste in Pintadas\BA. And this is the portrait of most small poor Brazilian municipalities.

Where are the policies?

​Where are the resources?

In Pintadas a group of women, belonging to RedePintadas, is taking the problem into their own hands and finding solutions that create opportunities and income.

From bones they are making soap and natural fertilizer. as well as hair and body cream. They also make soap and fertilizers from discarded coconuts shells.They need some machinery to facilitate the intense work, but they already sell soap and other products within the community, creating opportunities and income mainly for women.

Soap made from bones

How can a project like this be included in a policy that is delegated to outsourced contractors, who do not see interest and opportunities in small municipalities like Pintadas?

The impact of this work goes beyond creates development using the resources themselves and creating wealth. Really doing something very positive for our Mother Earth!

​Thank you women of Pintadas!