Health education and sanitation in indigenous lands in the Brazilian Amazon

Iauaretê district is a virtually indigenous, multi-ethnic land on the border of the Amazonas state in Brazil and Colombia. Its population, about 2700 inhabitants, lives without proper water supply, sanitation provision or garbage disposal. Due to the local sanitary conditions and absence of governmental improvements this study involving educational interventions aimed at building knowledge by local and scientific experiences, as well as the interaction between local population and the government in order to implement basic sanitation in Iauaretê district. From 2005 to 2008 a participatory action research was started using different instruments: at fist in communitarian meetings were employed talking-maps, taking photographs for panels, interviewing people; after it was offered a course on social mobilization based on technical research report for thirty inhabitants, who would spread sanitation knowledge acquired. The instruments applied allowed in the same time to identify local conditions, beliefs and behaviors meanwhile promoting participative education. Moreover the course offered could offer technical instruments even though incorporating the indigenous culture and their mythical beliefs. As contribution to sanitation improvements the process helped to start a regular garbage collection and the indigenous people started taking part in the discussions about the construction of water supply net as well as a basic sanitation project. The action research method was considered quite effective in facing local problems and involving indigenous population in the decision taking processes and the creating opportunities for interaction with government authorities.Keywords: participatory action research, sanitation, environmental health, Amazon Indians