Finding connection, purpose, and power in an art gallery in San José, Costa Rica By Tanja Lubbers, Regional Director, Hivos Latin America Recently, I was invited to visit a small art exhibit in downtown San José. I said yes, grateful for the distraction. Lately, my days have been filled with budget cuts and the crushing […]
Since 2013, Abrelatam/Condatos (“Open up LatAm /With data”) have established themselves as the leading and longest running gatherings in Latin America and the Caribbean focused on promoting open data as a tool for social transformation. They are much more than a combined conference: they are the birthplace and meeting point of a diverse community that […]
While Brazil‘s artists, activists, and journalists are experiencing increasing backlash from conservative political forces, the Megafone coalition is shaping a counter narrative to support them – especially those who fight to save the Amazon. It aims to build a legacy through large-scale graffiti murals, annual activism awards, and workshops to empower local communities. Megafone Ativismo […]
As part of the Urban Futures Program, Fundación Mi Sangre, our local partner in Medellín, led an innovative learning and co-creation lab to create stories about regenerative food consumption. By Ana Carolina Benítez, Linking & Learning Officer of Urban Futures Latin America, and Daniela García, Communications Facilitator of Fundación Mi Sangre The lab, called the […]
This April saw the 21st edition of the largest gathering of Indigenous People in Brazil – and in the world. Called the Free Land Camp, or Acampamento Terra Livre (ATL), this year it aimed to strengthen Indigenous bonds worldwide by bringing together global leaders to improve Indigenous advocacy and protect the planet. By Jaël Poelen […]
“With 29.8 million inhabitants, 76 percent of the population in the Brazilian Amazon is urban and faces problems typical for large capitals, but the main problem is their greatest resource: water.” This statement lies at the root of Mandí, an organization working to improve sanitation and climate adaptation in Amazonian cities in the state of […]
By Tanja Lubbers, Regional Director, Hivos Latin America I arrived in La Paz, Bolivia, on a cold night in early June. Landing atop the Andes at 4,300 meters (about 2.67 mi) is always magical—the thin air, the silent cable cars, and the city below buzzing with life even at 4 a.m. Some were just starting […]
This open letter is from the Positive Leadership and Key Populations Alliance (ALEP+PC), a regional initiative led by 10 regional networks of people living with HIV and key populations across Latin America. The alliance raises its concern about the Global Fund’s, the project’s donor, decision to pause the implementation of activities. Hivos is the Principal Recipient […]
Sharing experiences and best practices is the beginning of significant change in the justice system, as demonstrated by the recent meeting between civil society and judicial delegations from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Netherlands. They met to improve access to justice for LGBTIQ+ people and to tackle the urgent issue of ethical and sensitive data collection […]
By Gabriela Melgar, Regional Communications Officer, Hivos Latin America The story of Guatemalan civil society organization CREAR is like its name would suggest: letting yourself imagine, conceive new ideas, and act on your own turf. When I went to meet their team, they were brimming with energy, ready to bring social change to the reality that surrounds […]
Don Preto was born in Campinas, São Paulo, but has lived in the Amazonian city of Belém do Pará for two decades. He carries the African diasporic title “Onilu”- the one who builds drums – and is one of the founders of Casa Preta Amazônia, a cultural center dedicated to preserving Brazil’s African heritage. Casa […]
In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, where Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru meet, we went on a transformative journey last December that showed us the essential role of Indigenous leadership in the fight against climate change. The Cuida! Amazon climate advocacy event (Cuida, a local slang word, means both take care and hurry up), brought […]