Santa Catarina Water Sanitation Campaign

Civic Engagement: Awakening Community Voices – When the People Speak Up  

AMA drives community development with a comprehensive approach. Today, its priority is strengthening civic engagement as a driver of change.

In the areas where AMA is present, communities have historically been marginalized, rendered invisible, and excluded from decision-making processes. Fear, misinformation, and lack of support have often hindered access to fundamental rights like water, education, and sanitation. It is within this context that the civic engagement component becomes a deeply transformative act.

We work closely and with commitment alongside Community Development Councils (COCODE), supporting their processes in filing requests and proposals before local, municipal, and state authorities. Our role is not to speak for them but to walk alongside them, strengthen their voice, and provide clear guidance on the steps to meet the requirements for submitting an infrastructure or public service project.

This process is much more than technical—it’s human, emotional, and political. We support community leaders, helping them overcome fear, trust their voices, and understand that their voices hold power and that their needs are legitimate and urgent. Community committees have become the living foundation of change: they build alliances, demand dignity, and cultivate true development.

Women Leading, Communities Thriving  

One of the most beautiful outcomes of this process has been progress in gender equity within decision-making spaces. Where once only men held positions and spoke for the community, today, there are women who have become leadership role models—women who participate and make decisions, propose ideas, and mobilize action.

Every time a woman speaks up in a community meeting, every project led by a woman, every step toward equitable representation breaks centuries of silence. It confirms that the future is built with all voices.

Accompany, Guide, Believe  

At AMA, we know that proper development isn’t limited to works or projects—it starts when people recognize themselves as rights-holders capable of transforming their reality. That’s why we say our job is to accompany, guide, and support. We don’t take center stage; we don’t replace; we strengthen processes so that communities themselves can walk toward dignity.

We believe in the power of community organization, the strength of words spoken with clarity and respect, and unity as the foundation of all development. Our goal is clear: for communities to be heard, respected, and considered by local, national, and even international authorities. No development is impossible when people speak their truth, history, and hope.

In this journey, every step forward is a testament to the resilience and strength of communities striving for their dignity. Our role is pivotal yet humble – to be the wind beneath the wings of those who dare to dream of a better future for themselves and their children. However, this journey is not ours alone; it requires the solidarity and support of individuals like you who believe in justice, equality, and human rights.

Stand with us. Support us with your donation and be part of a movement that transforms lives by empowering those at the grassroots level to shape their destinies with dignity and pride. Together, we can make the impossible possible.