About 640 people – an average of 150 families – were benefitted by the action of the Paraguay Light-Network group in 2020, even in the context of the pandemic.
Since June 2016, when volunteer missionaries of the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF) were in the region of Ciudad del Este, acting in the so-called Paraguay Action along with the indigenous communities of Alto Paraná, Mbya Guarani, and Avá Guarani, the Light-Network has been serving these communities in extreme social and economic vulnerability.
Adriana Vallet – a member of the Asunción Light-Network, one of the Light-Network groups of Paraguay – speaks about the importance of humanitarian aid to the Paraguay indigenous people:
“We focus on these communities due to their extreme poverty and vulnerability caused by the lack of land ownership, their members earn a living working at the landfill in Ciudad del Este”.
Before the pandemic, the activities consisted of programmed visits that included the offering of numerous integration activities, among which medical assistance, tooth health, games, and recreation with children and youth, haircut, hairdressing, local preparation of the community lunch, besides the distribution of clothes and food.
“Our visits were important not only for the donation of food but also for the opportunity of coexistence, of sharing moments that filled everyone’s soul with joy”, explains Adriana.
Unable to continue with these face-to-face activities, due to the pandemic, and aware of the great need of those communities, the 12 members of Paraguay Light-Network organized themselves to continue with the distribution of food, which in 2020 occurred on four occasions: March, July, October, and December.
Emma Miró Ibars, also a member of Asunción Light-Network, reports that “for our indigenous brothers and sisters, our help is very important since most communities receive only our support. We managed to deliver food, with the contribution and help of our Brazilian brothers and sisters, members of the other groups of Paraguay Rede-Luz, and Paraguayan supporters of the Paraguay Mission.
Selfless service, based solely on the purpose of contributing to the neediest, is a strategy of the Paraguay Light-Network that faithfully fulfills the commitment assumed by the heart of its members.
