The Quilombolas communities from the municipality of Moju in the state of Pará recently participated in meetings with Hydro regarding social programs sponsored by the company.

The Quilombolas are descendants of slaves who escaped from the farms and established settlements in the Brazilian forests long ago.

Once the pipeline that takes bauxite from the Paragominas mine to the Alunorte alumina refinery crossed the land of some Quilombolas families in Moju, they became important stakeholders.

Hydro’s representatives were well received by the community.

“Our company has a tradition of respecting and seeking dialog with the communities that are affected by our operations,” says Ivar Oellingrath, who works in Hydro’s Corporate Social Responsibility department.

The main initiative with investments from Paragominas mine is the Rural Family House, a school that provides training for youngsters and adults in agricultural activities.

“This was an old dream that became true. I’m grateful that my son uses the information that he learns and we are obtaining good results,” says Raimunda de Moraes (70), who is president of the Sao Bernardino Quilombolas’ community.

Guiomar Tavares, from the Sao Sebastiao Quilombola community, is one of the students of the Rural Family House. She likes the agricultural technical classes and now plans to start her own planting project.

“We want to learn more and give constant feedback to the teachers. To study here is a dream that came true. It gives us hope for higher income, a change in life,” she says.