Who we are

In the 1980s, large areas of forest were replaced by pastures in the Amazon. At that time, the rubber tappers' movement in Acre was joining forces to block devastation and guarantee the right of possession of their settlements. Moved by the resistance of the forest's guardians, on September 30, 1988, in the city of Rio Branco, State of Acre, teachers, university students and representatives of the social movement, including the activist and rubber tapper Chico Mendes, created the SOS Amazônia Association, having as main objective to defend the extractivists' cause and to protect the Amazon Rainforest, supporting traditional populations.

In a scenario of conflicts over land occupation, the institution dedicated itself to publicly exposing data and photos about deforestation in the region, making complaints about the threats suffered by rubber tappers, distributing informative materials and talking to people about the theme, aiming to mobilize society and facilitate their understanding of the causes and consequences of the destruction that was taking place at the time.

In view of the delicate moment that extractivists lived, in addition to awareness campaigns, there was a felt need for the institution to develop projects, propose and implement public policies with a focus models and practices for biodiversity preservation and sustainable development, initiatives that guide, on a daily basis, the duty to fulfill SOS Amazônia's mission, which is "to promote the conservation of biodiversity and the growth of environmental awareness in the Amazon."