15 people are poisoned by pesticides on Brazilian farms everyday. Many of the pesticides used are so toxic to God’s people and creation that they have been deemed Extremely Hazardous by the World Health Organisation, and are banned and being phased out in the EU, USA, China, Australia, Canada and other nations.
This is just one story told by Friar Gilvander - 'Just recently, at the beginning of May, 2013, a school in the city of Rio Verde, 261 miles from Brazil’s capital, was doused in the pesticide Engeo Plano, made by the seed and chemical company Syngenta, for a full 20 minutes by a plane that had missed its target. Around 60 children were eating their lunches under the open sky when the toxic chemicals were sprayed on top of them. Soon after some children began to have headaches and feel dizzy while others started vomiting. 42 children and 8 adults were taken to the hospital and 38 of the children were interned. Almost three weeks later, 7 of the children have had to be seen by specialists because they have developed problems in their lungs and livers. This incident was considered so mundane, that it barely made the news in Brazil.'
In 2011 a campaign was launched to tackle this issue by over 30 civil society groups in Brazil (Campanha Permanente Contra os Agrotóxicos e Pela Vida).
Brazilians are speaking up - let's SPEAK UP with them!
Sign the ONLINE PETITION here!
Plus, download your own copy of the Pray & Post card and the Pull-Out (which has lots of information about the campaign) below...
