Emergency relief action
for people in Vale de Agua and to finance a fire resistant reforestation according to permaculture principles.
As many of you know, the FNNF Foundation has been involved in the village of Vale de Agua in Portugal for several years and has already actively supported the current village community “Valdeia” in different socio-cultural projects and actions, e.g. in the construction of an ecological village learning garden in the center of the village.
On August 6 of this year, a devastating wildfire swept vast areas of southwestern Portugal, including the district of Vale de Agua, turning this land into a mile-wide ash desert. Nature in Vale de Agua has been completely burned down except for a few green oases, all outdoor structures have been destroyed, and many families and neighbors in the area have lost much or everything.
It almost borders on a miracle that the central area of Vale de Agua, the Valdeia village line, survived the fire waves largely unscathed. For the most part, the stone houses were saved completely or with repairable damage. However, those who had been living in wooden houses, teepees and other alternative forms of housing are in some cases left with nothing.
In addition, all irrigation systems with their pipes and plantings of the kitchen garden systems, as well as a tree nursery, have also suffered severe damage.
A support action was initiated by local residents in collaboration with the FNNF Foundation, with two objectives:
1. emergency assistance to the families in the neighborhood of Vale de Agua. Rooms to house the families and financial resources to rebuild their livelihoods will be provided.
2. support for permaculture oriented reforestation with the concern to provide immediate and now before the rainy season for erosion control of the earth. This includes, for example, sawing the dead wood free and creating earth troughs to collect the rainwater, a fortification of the slopes and much more. For this purpose, machines must be rented as quickly as possible and used in a coordinated manner by a permaculture engineer and his knowledgeable staff in cooperation with the neighborhood help groups in order to carry out the measures in a quick action.
A major fire 20 years ago showed that it is possible to start anew and that nature and man have the ability to regenerate themselves internally and externally – But therefor now support is needed!
The young generation in the neighborhood is ready for this and has already from the first weeks with energy and great solidarity together tackled and started with the cleanup work. But there is a lot to do!
Our principle is to help people to help themselves. That means we will give a social emergency help, especially for people who have no support network (fundraising), like single and elderly people and also our Portuguese neighbors. And we will participate in the support of fire resistant planting to protect the land, which includes paying for a professional reforestation plan.
With this in mind, ANY financial contribution you can and may give is most welcome. With your contribution, a sustainable network of direct help and immediate support for the reconstruction and for the preservation of sustainable life in Vale de Agua grows – also in the face of the intensifying climate challenges of the present.
Our concern is to give courage, to help the people who really need it and to give support and assistance to the injured nature to regenerate!
Donations under the keyword “NOTHILFE” can be made to the FNNF Foundation via PAYPAL or by bank transfer to our account at the GLS Bank under IBAN: DE36 4306 0967 4109 0356 00 – On request we will of course issue a donation receipt!
