Focus

Focus 2020

Xavantes - BCG01-01-2020

AMA project travels to Xavantes villages for maintenance of wells

Campinapolis - Every 2 or 3 months, the team of the AMA (Salesian Mission Animation) project travels through the region's villages to maintain services to indigenous communities. All belong to the Xavante ethnic group and are part of the "St Domenico Savio" parish in Campinapolis. Fr Bartolomeo Giaccaria, Salesian missionary, is the parish priest with a long history of service in favor of the "poorest of the Kingdom of God".

The service trip lasts a few weeks. Salesian deacon José Alves explains that all activities are planned in detail. “We enter the villages praying, accompany the lessons and activities of the schools, health. We meet people in their villages and on the roads. If they have problems with the functioning of the wells, we take note of them and when we reach a quantity of necessary services that allow the transfer of the AMA project, we return knowing in advance which wells need maintenance,” said the religious.

Around 500 people live in these 13 villages in the Parabubure region, who today benefit from the wells being maintained. In this case, minor repairs were made, such as changing the pumps, repairing the taps, and other services.

The existing wells were built at different times more than 30 years ago according to the needs of the natives. The last borehole from the AMA project was built in the village of Teihidzatse 3 years ago.

Other wells were built in the villages thanks to state support. The well maintenance project answers to a clear need of the Xavantes people of the region. Indigenous people usually build their villages on the banks of small streams, which sometimes dry up in periods of drought or when it rains little, the water becomes very muddy. In general, it is the water of these rivers and streams that indigenous people use to drink and cook, regardless of its quality.

In some villages there is a serious shortage of water, why the presence of the AMA project is fundamental for the drilling of wells and their maintenance, all this at the service of the "poorest of the Kingdom of God".