From News Desk
Audi do Brasil, the NGO Litro de Luz and the Audi Environmental Foundation concluded another edition of the partnership that brings sustainable lighting to communities without permanent access to electricity. This year, the action took place in the communities of Santa Izabel, São Francisco de Aruaú and Nova Esperança do Apuaú, located on the banks of the Rio Negro and its tributaries, in the Amazon. In total, 199 clean energy solutions were provided, including solar-powered street lamps and posts, to 177 families in the region. In total, 575 residents of the aforementioned areas benefited.
“Working as a volunteer on this project with the riverside communities of the Amazon, alongside employees and partners who have committed to this mission, was a transformative experience. I’m even more connected to the purpose of working for a more sustainable, innovative and, above all, humane future,” says Paula Barreiros, Head of Compliance, Quality & ESG at Audi do Brazil.
“We are so used to enjoying basic resources such as electricity that it is difficult to imagine our routine without them. During the expedition to the Amazon, we were able to see in the community the hope for a better future, and light will be an important ally on this journey. I am proud to be part of an organisation that supports socio-environmental actions that have a real impact on the lives of these people,” says Gerold Pillekamp, Head of Marketing and Communication at Audi do Brazil.
“Returning to the Amazon region, where our partnership with Audi began, was deeply special. Once again, we were able to experience not only the region’s vastness and natural beauty, but also the transformative power of local communities – true protagonists of a sustainable future.” says Rodrigo Eidy, President of Litro de Luz Brasil.
“We are very pleased with the results of our partnership with Litro de Luz, which in recent years has already benefited thousands of people with limited access to basic resources. In addition, the project connects to our pillars of environmental responsibility, social engagement and development through clean technologies,” highlights Rüdiger Recknagel, General Director of the Audi Environmental Foundation.
The 177 families benefited in this year’s edition were distributed among the communities of Santa Izabel (61 families), São Francisco de Aruaú (82 families) and Nova Esperança do Apuaú (34 families). In total, 199 compact energy solutions were distributed, including street lamps (177, one per family) and solar street lamps (22). In total, 575 people were impacted.
In Nova Esperança de Apuaú, 34 street lamps and eight posts were provided. In Santa Izabel, 61 street lamps and eight posts were provided. Finally, in São Francisco de Aruaú, 82 street lamps and six posts were provided.
The areas were selected based on the Litro de Luz database, which mapped the communities in the region with no or limited access to the regular electricity grid.
Before the event in the Amazon region, workshops were held to train ambassadors responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the installed posts and lamp. In addition, an assembly workshop for compact energy solutions was held at the beginning of June at the Audi Alphaville dealership, located in the metropolitan region of São Paulo.
Surfer Pedro Scooby, ambassador for the four-ring brand in Brazil, was present at the event. He participated in the assembly training and is supporting this social action that is part of Audi do Brasil’s ESG pillar. The objective of the workshop was to prepare the volunteers and the Audi do Brasil team who worked in the region and transfer knowledge about the solutions to the local community.
This year’s initiative seeks to reinforce the visibility given to the Amazon region atan important time for the ESG agenda in Brazil – the event is taking place in Belém do Pará, a region located within the Amazon and hosting the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30).
According to a 2018 World Bank report, around 1 billion people worldwide do not have access to electricity. In Brazil, around 2 million Brazilians do not have access to electricity, according to data from the Ministry of Mines and Energy from 2019.
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