School of Traditional Knowledge and Essential Care Clinic for the Yawanawa.

"We need the world to breathe together with us." Muka Yawanawa

This campaign is to support the Yawanawa people of the Brazilian Amazon in the creation of two new centres, both focused on healing. One is a school to teach and share Yawanawa knowledge of the use of traditional plant medicines. The second is a clinic where Western medicine, in the form of essential first aid can be provided. The balance of these two knowledge systems is at the heart of the EDGE OF LIFE film.

Muka Yawanawa’s hope is to build the YUKUNAHU NII VIMI school for the study of medicinal plant knowledge where students will learn, share wisdom and exchange knowledge. These medicines can help with illnesses in today’s world, including mental health issues, which the Yawanawa call NISÛ. The school to be built in Muka's village of Matrinxã will provide a space for Yawanawa young people to continue their education of sacred Yawanawa knowledge so they do not lose their identity and it will also allow visitors from other places an opportunity to respectfully come to learn and carry this knowledge back with them. The Yukunahu Nii Vimi school is a seed. “Ní” is the forest, “Vimi” is the seed, so the seed needs to be germinated across all faces of the earth. In this way, we will be responsible for valuing biodiversity, sharing knowledge widely and ensuring that Yawanawa knowledge is passed on from generation to generation.

In addition the Yawanawa are in need of a clinic for essential first aid so that they do not have to leave their forest home in the event of accidents and injury. The Yawanawa Essential Care Clinic will provide for care that Yawanawa medicines do not cover, for example, the means to treat deep cuts, provide treatment in the case of burns and assist with casts and bandages for injuries such as broken bones. The Yawanawa Essential Care Clinic will be built in the village of Mutum, accessible to all the Yawanawa from the surrounding 7 villages. It will mean Yawanawa who suffer such injuries will not have to leave by canoe to travel the long distance to the nearest hospital. They will be able to care for these injuries in their forest home.

The Host Organisation -

The Port Kembla community group Our Community Project ran a fundraising campaign similar to this one on the back of the release of Lynette Wallworth’s previous film, Tender which enabled them to purchase the old Port Kembla fire station. They have now managed 100's of life-affirming funerals through Australia's first Not For Profit funeral Company, Tender Funerals Illawarra. Now the same group are acting in support of this Gofundme campaign following the release of the Edge of Life film. Both communities are now connected through films that reveal their incredible community spirit, a spirit still going strong.

GoFundMe cannot transfer funds directly to Brazil. Our Community Project is receiving the donations, in order to transfer them to Brazil.