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A fairer, safer world

An invitation to participate in a movement for change

Written by Julia Kendal 2024 Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French

The informal settlement of Sapo Nú stands in the foreground, with the busy city skyline of Recife in the near distance, beyond an area of woodlands.

There is a high level of inequality in Recife, Brazil, but the communities along the banks of the Tejipió river have been able to successfully advocate for change

Two Nepalese women dressed in bright traditional clothing fill large storage containers with grain as a group of other women from their community watch. A large, steep mountain with some houses is behind them.

From: Reducing the risk of disaster - Footsteps 122

How to build individual and community resilience so that disasters are less likely to happen

The river that runs through the city of Recife in Brazil used to frequently break its banks, flooding the homes and businesses that border it. 

This included the area of Sapo Nú, an informal settlement with tightly packed alleys and limited sanitation and waste-collection systems. Each time the river flooded, homes and businesses were damaged, disease spread and lives were lost. 

Across the world, challenges such as these do not affect us all in the same way. Having wealth often means having a stronger, safer home located further from the risks, money in the bank and insurance policies for emergencies. 

But people living in poverty have far fewer resources to help them withstand and recover from disasters. They may have less access to government support to rebuild or relocate. And they might have to choose between spending money on life-saving healthcare or protecting themselves from a life-threatening flood. 

Broken system

Disasters are symptoms and consequences of the way that societies and governments organise and distribute available resources within and across regions. This is known as the economic system.

The current global economic system is broken. It is causing pollution and environmental damage, and increasing inequality by preventing many people from accessing the resources they need. As a result, more and more people are being affected by disasters each year.

If we are to reduce the number of disasters, and the scale of their impact, we need to shape a fairer, safer world where each of us can meet our basic needs and where no one has too much or too little. A world where what we have is not at the expense of others, or the natural world.

A man and woman from Recife in Brazil stand in the doorway of their shop, with a poster on the red wall behind the man, and a red metal gate behind the woman.

Maria and Nivaldo are part of the Rio Limpo Cidade Saudável (Clean River, Healthy City) movement for change in Recife

Movement for change

Several church leaders in Recife, with the support of Tearfund partner Instituto Solidare, developed a system for emergencies to support those worst affected when the Tejipió river flooded. But they felt that responding to emergencies was not enough. The church leaders, community members and Instituto Solidare had an ambition to stop the river from flooding completely.

They gathered local churches, schools, community leaders, families and individuals to meet with academic institutions and local government officials. They understood that the river was flooding more frequently because the water was full of waste. The community established the Rio Limpo Cidade Saudável (Clean River, Healthy City) campaign, calling and acting for better waste management and recycling, as well as regular cleaning and protection of the river.

In response to the growing pressure, local authorities put in place a cleaning and dredging programme, and a year later the community was able to celebrate when the Tejipió river did not flood as usual after heavy rains.

To continue to hold decision-makers to account, the community created the Popular Forum of the Tejipió River. A year later, the Government included the Rio Limpo Cidade Saudável campaign in the city’s government plan for the first time, allocating resources to prevent flooding and provide better housing for people living on the river bank. 

Playing our part

No person, church, community or organisation on their own can deliver the scale of change that is needed. A strong movement is the best way to create this change. 

Movements bring people together and provide opportunities for everyone to make their voices and views heard. This includes people who may traditionally have limited influence, for example people in poverty, women, youth, people with disabilities and people from minority ethnic backgrounds. If each of us plays our part within a movement, we will be able to change some of the injustices that we and our neighbours face. 

Where disasters can turn over lives and communities in a matter of minutes, we believe that a movement can turn over the global economic system for the long term. The Restorative revolution is an invitation to participate in a movement for a safer, fairer world. 

Use the resources below to help you explore how you, your church and your community can act locally and call for the large-scale change we need. 

Learn more

Restorative revolution: A movement of the church to transform wealth, power and communities for a flourishing world

Community-led advocacy – Footsteps 118: Tools and ideas that communities can use to challenge injustice and change difficult situations

Written by

Written by  Julia Kendal

Julia Kendal is a Senior Policy Advisor with Tearfund

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