Brazilian Student Group Accepts Flood of Donations

During the beginning of January, the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro experienced heavy rainfall that led to devastating mudslides. The floods destroyed towns and left thousands displaced, hundreds dead and countless more missing. It’s been almost a month since the initial flood, but many communities are far from recovery.

The tragedy struck during winter break, but now that school has reconvened, the Boston University Brazilian Association can take action.

On Tuesday night, the club organized a donation drive for flood victims. They took donations in the form of money or clothing, all of which would go to the Brazilian Red Cross. By the end of the event, they had gathered about 20 big bags of clothing and one hundred dollars.

In the month since the flood, the event had received less and less news coverage as events in Egypt come to a boil. The situation, however, had gotten no less serious. 

“More than 800 have been killed. The exact number, I think, is 857,” said event organizer Renata Brito, a junior in COM. “But every day it keeps rising because people have disappeared, and they haven’t found the bodies… They’re still going to find more bodies.”

The mountainous regions behind the city of Rio de Janiero were most affected, according to Brito. There are connections to the tragedy all over Brazil, and even some at BU.

“It was three major cities, Petrópolis, Nova Friburgo and Teresópolis,” she explained. “A lot of people had houses that were destroyed and knew people that died.” 

Some private companies and other groups have attempted to help. WalMart recently donated $750,000 in money and supplies; the World Bank, meanwhile, issued a 1.5 billion dollar loan. But the cost of the destruction and the displacement is high, and help is needed.

Still, student groups like the BU Brazilian Association are doing what they can. And though 20 bags of clothing and $100 might not look like a lot, it still makes a difference.

Donations for flood relief can be made through the Brazilian Red Cross. They can also be made through PayPal through the non-governmental organization VivaRio.