MAPUCHE COVID-19 RELIEF
All masks were made by eight Mapuche women and all of them were paid a fair wage for each mask they made, which helped them have a source of income.
We started combating the Covid-19 at the start of May when we had the first confirmed cases in Temuco. With the generous support of “Indigenous kinship Collective” NYC we developed a program aimed at protecting those who suffer greater economic poverty, social inequality and lack of opportunities, such as indigenous people and afro descendants. The initiatives sought to join efforts to reduce the risk of transmission of Covid-19 among the individuals, their families and communities.
We heard the strong call that United Nations Human Rights Protection bodies had made to serve Indigenous Peoples. Health is in fact, a fundamental human right of all people without distinction of race, religion, political ideology or economic or social condition. We believe all people must have access to Covid-19 prevention products, when and where they need, without their condition limiting access to them, especially the most vulnerable.
FREE MASKS FOR THE LGBTQI-2S MAPUCHE COMMUNITY IN WALLMAPU — OCTOBER 15, 2020
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, intersex and two spirits)
The LGBTQI2-S Mapuche community often times they deal with different levels of social isolation, economic poverty and lack of access to health care. With our initiative we sough to serve as an inspiration for individuals, organizations and other entities so they can help improve the well-being of the LGBTQI2-S Mapuche community, their families and their communities. We also gave a 10 page document with information about their rights and ideas how to eradicate sexual orientation and gender based discrimination.
On October 15, 2020, during one of the worse time of uncertainty and in the midst of the global health crisis due to the pandemic, a total of 9,410 confirmed cases have been reported, of which 2,555 confirmed cases corresponded to Temuco, with 128 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in the Araucanía region.
Unfortunately, like most if not all indigenous peoples, Mapuche people are not exempt from being infected, much less those who are more vulnerable and susceptible to getting the virus. That is why with the generous support of the collective of the Indigenous Kinship Collective from Lenape-Hoking (New York City), we delivered Covid-19 protection masks to the LGBTQI2-S Mapuche community in Wallmapu, Mapuche territory.
MUTUAL AID KITS FOR “HORTALIZERAS”: MAPUCHE STREET VEGETABLE SELLERS WORKING IN DOWNTOWN TEMUCO — OCTOBER 09, 2020
FREE MASKS FOR AFRO-CHILEANS IN ARICA Y PARINACOTA —SEPTEMBER 26, 2020
These masks were sent to Arica y Parinacota (north of Chile, bordering Peru and Bolivia) to the NGO "ORO NEGRO", which is the first organization of Chilean Afro-descendants located in the north of Chile. They kindly distributed the masks to the members of their community. Some of the masks made with afro colors to honor their original heritage.
MARTA SALGADO, PRESIDENT THE AFRO CHILEAN NGO “ORO NEGRO”
* CLICK ON THE IMAGE FO VIEW THE THANK YOU MESSAGE POSTED ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE
FREE MASKS & HAND SANITIZER FOR THE AFRO-DESCENDANTS IN WALMAPU AT JANEQUEO PLAZA — AUGUST 04, 2020
We provided masks and hand sanitizer to Afro descendants and their family member. The initiative took place in the middle of Temuco’s main public square to both, provide the protection products and to create awareness about the lack of support for afro descendants, especially immigrants who struggle to find employment and housing most of the time and specially during the pandemic and in a city like Temuco, which has high rates of racism.
FREE HYGIENE PRODUCTS TO INCARCERATED MAPUCHE MEN AT TEMUCO MEN PRISON — JUNE 10, 2020
Months after the start of the first confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Temuco, and having by then 1,883 confirmed cases of virus in the region, with 811 confirmed cases in Temuco, and 45 deceased people, we delivered hygiene and sanitary products for Mapuche political prisoners who were unable to receive visits due to the pandemic.
After that we received a call from Machi Celestino, their spiritual leader, who spoke on behalf of all incarcerated men benefited and expressed his humble appreciation for our gesture.
FREE MASKS AND HAND SANITIZER FOR MAPUCHE PEOPLE AT TEMUCO’S RURAL BUS TERMINAL — MAY 22, 2020
FREE MASKS AND HAND SANITIZER FOR “HORTALICERAS”/ MAPUCHE STREET VEGETABLE SELLERS WORKING IN DOWNTOWN TEMUCO— MAY 11, 2020
Indigenous women are the most discriminated against and victims of economic violence in Chile, therefore it was important to protect them from the pandemic, specially the Mapuche Hotalicerxs who needed to sell their products on the street in order to support their families when the enemy was not only the virus but also the hunger due to the pandemic.
We also helped them make signs to raise their voices as they recently had been brutally attacked by the local police officers ordered by the mayor who stablished they were violating the law selling their products. Many lost their only source of income afraid to be beaten up again, some expressed continues body pain from the cruel beating, and they lamented the loss of the vegetables, they grow at home themselves, when the police had thrown everything to the ground and destroyed them. One Mapuche Hortalicero expressed the police thad taken away his cart, the only means of transporting his vegetables and being able to sell something to buy food and basic necessities. We made a statement saying “let’s beat the pandemic, not the Hortalizeras”
HYGIENE AND SANITARY PRODUCTS FOR WOMEN IN PRISON AT TEMUCO FEMALE PENITENTIARY CENTER — MAY 04, 2020
It was important to protect indigenous people in prison during this pandemic. As the American of Puerto Rican descent, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, representative of the 14th district of New York, said in the Daily News on March 25, 2020 "the state prisons could become a breeding ground for this deadly disease." To this end, the World Health Organization (WHO) had made recommendations to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and protect the most vulnerable sectors of society, who are at greater risk due to having a "reduced" immunity by living in crowded conditions such the ones incarcerated.
Sanitation and hygiene emergency products were delivered, specifically: handmade reusable and washable cloth masks with 3 layers of protection, liquid soap, disposable gloves, shampoo, hygiene pads among other products.
Let’s not forget them.
We provided mutual aids kits to all incarcelared women and staff who kept close contact with them. We were assisted by their social worker who made recommendations on what was more needed at the moment. It was during the first mandatory quarantine, a time when no one could be visited and nothing could be brought inside the prison center so basic needs products for women were very much needed and appreciated by them.