Kayapo children playing in a waterfall in the Xingu River. This site up upriver from the Belo Monte dam. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP).
Characterized by crystal-clear waters and surrounding by tropical rainforest, the Xingu is considered one of the most beautiful rivers in the Amazon basin. Yet the Xingu is on the brink of destruction due Belo Monte, an $18.5 billion hydroelectric project backed by Brazilian government energy companies; Vale, mining giant; Bertin, one of the largest meat processing firms; and nearly a dozen other companies. The vast majority of Belo Monte’s funding comes from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES).
Belo Monte will swamp more than 40,000 hectares of forest and displace upwards of 16,000 people, including indigenous Kayapo tribes, which strongly oppose the dam.
Meeting of Kayapo leaders. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP).
Nevertheless, last week BNDES announced the creation of a new fund for the Kayapo people. The Kayapó Fund will initially receive $4 million from the BNDES-administered Amazon Fund, which supports initiatives to conserve and sustainable manage the Amazon rainforest. Conservation International (CI), with the support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, will contribute another $4 million.
According to CI, the Kayapó Fund is modeled after U.S. trust funds “to use the annual investment income generated from the capital to provide sufficient funding for the long-term management of the supported territories.” They money will go toward grants aims at developing sustainable economic activities for the Kayapo people across their territories. Funds will also be used to monitor Kayapo lands against incursions.
Map showing the Kayapo territories in the Amazon and deforested areas around (in brown). ©CI
CI says the grants will be used to help protect 10.6 million hectares of land across five Kayapo territories. Some 7,000 indigenous Kayapo live in the area.
CI says the fund will operate with $8 million during its first 5 years, but targets expanding to $15 million thereafter provided other donors can be found.
Kayapo girl. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP).
Aerial view of Kayapo territory in the Amazon. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP).
Kayapo man on top of the mountains with a landscape view of the Amazon forest. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP).
Kayapo children in school. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP).
 Kayapo man returning from a month long hunting trip. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP). |
 Kayapo woman collecting berries. © Cristina Mittermeier/ International League of Conservation Photographers (iCLP). |