Netto is a 40-year-old guide from Manaus. For the past 25 years, he’s been working in the Amazon forest. For him, it’s never been just a job, it’s something he truly loves: a passion. You can feel it in the way he talks about the forest, the way he treats it, and how much he knows.

Netto is also a single father of three daughters: the oldest is 17, and the youngest just 8. After a difficult relationship with their mother, who struggled with alcoholism, his daughters chose to stay with him and cut ties with her. Today, they all live together in a small 12m² room on the outskirts of Manaus, along with two dogs he recently adopted.

His room is built above his grandmother’s apartment who he takes care of every day. When Netto was left by his parents at 14 years old, his grandmother was there to take care of him.

When he goes into the jungle for tours, he relies on her to look after his daughters. But as she’s getting older, she’s beginning to develop dementia, and requires more constant assistance. He can't help but think ahead and worry: when she’s no longer able to help… who will look over his daughters when he’s away working?

The agency that Netto works for provides Netto and their clients with transport, food, accommodation, and a fixed 4–5 day program that he must follow.

As a client, you don’t always see what’s happening behind the scenes. As I got to know Netto, we were able to talk more openly about this sensitive topic, and he told me how unstable his work really is. Some weeks, he has tours, other times, he can go weeks without any work. And when there are no clients, he has to look for other temporary jobs that sometimes put him in dangerous situations just to be able to provide for his family.

As a client, I believe that the program he’s required to follow isn’t very immersive. There are usually only one or two 2-hour activities a day, and a lot of time is spent waiting in between each of them. In a place like the Amazon, where you can’t safely explore alone, that downtime becomes frustrating, especially when you’re with a guide like Netto who clearly knows so much more and wants to share it. But he can’t. He’s not allowed to change or add to the program.

For someone who truly loves the forest, being forced to follow a rigid plan takes away the freedom to share it properly.

There are also safety issues we weren’t even aware of. Netto pointed out that my shoes (waterproof hiking salomon shoes) weren’t suitable for the jungle. He explained that in the Amazon, it’s crucial to wear high boots that protect your legs from snakes like cobras or even anacondas.

None of us had been told this. We had been walking around, completely unaware of the danger. It made me realize how much responsibility guides like him carry for the client's safety without any support from the agency.

Despite everything, Netto keeps going and is determined to leave this current lifestyle. Unfortunately, the reality is that life is truly expensive, opportunities are limited, and stability is hard to find.

But he has a dream:

Buy a small piece of land in the Amazon where he and his daughters could live, fish, and finally experience the forest together, which is something they’ve never had the chance to do. For him, it’s not just about the land. It’s about peace, freedom, and giving his family a better life.

He also dreams of starting his own tourism agency: one built on passion, safety, and respect. One where he can create meaningful experiences, not just follow a fixed program with a transactional relationship. An agency where he can finally do his job the way he believes it should be done.

But right now, his dreams are currently untainable. Saving enough for land would take him a lifetime. The current priority for him is the wellbeing and survival of his daughters. But I could feel how much it meant to him to potentially get there one day.

Netto is not just an incredible guide, he’s an incredible person with a big heart and a story. When you first meet him, you wouldn’t guess any of this. He smiles, he laughs, and he gives everything to make your experience unforgettable. He leaves his worries behind when he’s working, for the sake of his clients and his daughters.

And that’s exactly why I wanted to share his story.

To thank Netto for showing me the most beautiful, wild, and complex place I've ever seen: the Amazon Rainforest, I’ve decided to support him.

Once he reaches his goal, I truly believe he’ll create something special, and I would encourage everyone to experience the Amazon with him.

If you feel moved by his story, any support would mean the world; whether it’s a small donation or simply sharing this. It would mean a lot to me, to Netto, and to his family.

Netto and his daughters deserve a chance at the life he’s working so hard to build.