Priority for Sustainability and Appreciation for the Local Economy

Produced from the reuse of uniforms donated especially for the event by three mining companies – Hochschild (HOCPLC), Mosaic and Largo –, around 1,500 bags will be delivered to the Conference participants loaded with promotional and institutional materials, but, above all, with life stories and re-signification.

As social entrepreneur Marcella Mafra explains, the thought travels far during the process of transforming the clothes used by workers into ecobags. “We received uniforms that were very worn, darned, stained, and uniforms that were hardly worn, brand new. We wonder how many stories are involved there… From those who sewed the new uniform, the pride of the employee who received it and even the uniform of that employee who is retiring and going off to enjoy life. I receive these pieces with great affection and respect for the stories”, she says.

Marcella was the business director of the company Libertese, created with the aim of improving the quality of life of incarcerated women through work and education. The company will give way to the Libertese Institute, which, as a non-governmental organization (NGO), will be able to give greater scale to the purpose of social reintegration of female detainees and former female prisoners. “The sewing of ecobags will be entirely done by women who have worked with me in the penitentiary and are now free, with their lives given a new meaning”, celebrates Marcella.

The Amazon Flavor

The great biodiversity found in the Amazon results in unique flavors and sensations for those who experience regional cuisine. For this reason, fruits and other forest products are at the base of the development of the bioeconomy in the region.

One of the pioneering companies in this field, Manioca stands out for the quality and variety of its products, with emphasis on grains, seasonings, sauces and seeds. “Our flagship product is the tucupi, which is a vegetable broth that is very traditional in the Amazonian cuisine and goes well with everything. In general, we consume it with poultry, fish and seafood, but it is also used to make soups, risotto, pasta. The tucupi is of indigenous origin and has been improved over time by the Portuguese — so it is a product that tells a lot about the history of Brazil, in addition to being very characteristic of the Amazonian food culture”, explains Joanna Martins, managing partner of Manioca.

The good news for the participants in The Amazon and New Economies International Conference is that everyone will receive Manioca products as a gift, an initiative also celebrated by Joanna. “Exposing Amazonian brands is very important to influence the local ecosystem, entrepreneurs and young people who, many times, were educated not to see the potential that the Amazon has and, at the same time, support businesses that are already with a good degree of maturity”.