ADRA Brazil Shares Humanitarian Assistance Strategies at G20 Event

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Brazil participated in the first G20 Social, an event organized by The Group of Twenty (G20), an intergovernmental forum that addresses major global economic issues, at its 2024 meeting in Rio de Janeiro that began on November 14.

The G20 Social addressed social justice, sustainability, and the reduction of inequalities. The meeting brought together civil society organizations, social movements, and global leaders with the aim of debating urgent issues, such as hunger, poverty, and climate change.

On this occasion, ADRA shared its experience in humanitarian assistance and emergency management. During the panel, “Humanitarian Assistance in Natural Disasters and Emergencies,” ADRA Brazil leaders detailed its practices for operating in critical scenarios, such as floods and landslides. Among other actions, the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Brazil also highlighted the use of the “Solidarity RV,” a specially adapted mobile humanitarian recreational vehicle that brings immediate support to affected regions after natural and other disasters.

For ADRA Brazil director Fabio Salles, the exchange of experiences and the strengthening of partnerships with Civil Defense, promoted by G20 Social, further improves the agency’s ability to respond to emergencies.

“It was a very valuable space for exchanges,” Salles said. “We presented our service standards, highlighting the operation of our solidarity RV and other actions that reinforce ADRA’s agile and efficient response. We left with strengthened partnerships, which will allow us to further train our volunteers to act with excellence when other emergencies take place.”

ADRA South America director Paulo Lopes also participated in a panel. He addressed emergency response strategies and highlighted interventions carried out by the agency in the Adventist Church’s South American Division, which includes the eight southernmost countries in South America.

For Denise Tarin, prosecutor of the Public Ministry of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the G20 Social opens the possibility for sharing experiences, not just desires. She added, “We already have a clear diagnosis of what needs to be done, but the big question is how to do it. A space like this, which promotes integration between public and private institutions, is essential for us to advance in the protection of people in vulnerable situations.”

Ariel Denise Pontes Afonso, a psychologist specializing in emergencies and disasters, brought to the discussion the need to prepare the volunteers themselves. “There is no point in taking care of the victims if those who provide assistance are not prepared. The pressure and trauma in disaster areas also require attention to the mental health of the teams. And events like this help to reflect on the creation of public policies and the integrated action of different sectors for effective work in all phases of a disaster,” underlined the psychologist, who currently works at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The G20 intergovernmental forum is composed of representatives from 19 sovereign countries, the European Union, and the African Union.

About ADRA

ADRA is a nonprofit development and disaster response agency that operates in more than 120 countries promoting emergency assistance and social development. The institution is recognized for its prompt response in crisis situations, in addition to collaborating with public agencies and other organizations to minimize the impact of natural disasters and combat inequality.

The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.