Jequiá da Praia, Alagoas, Brazil, 2 September 2025 (IICA) – On the southern coast of the Brazilian state of Alagoas, fresh and saltwater mingle in the Jequiá Lagoon – a place at the heart of community life. It is there, between fishing nets, artisanal boats and a strong local tradition, that Eliana Faria de Souza found her place in the world as a fisherwoman, social leader and advocate for a sustainable lifestyle.
For example, she works with other women in the region not only to transform polluting waste substances into organic fertilizer, but in so doing has made her community into a regional model for environmental entrepreneurship. Due to this inspiring work, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has named Eliane as a Leader of Rurality of the Americas (IICA).
As such, the Brazilian fisherwoman will receive the “Soul of Rurality” award, which was created by the international organization specializing in agricultural development to turn the spotlight on individuals who are making a difference to advance rural life in the Americas.
Eliane is President of Associação Mulheres em Ação de Jequiá da Praia (Jequiá da Praia Women in Action Association or AMAJE, as it is commonly known), an organization of fifty women fishers, shellfish fishers and craftswomen. The group was formally established in 2022, although the ladies had been working together some years before that. “We began as a group of rural women with a strong desire to do something for our community”, she recalls. “In time and after much effort, we succeeded in registering the association, which has opened many doors for us”.
An article by the Universidade Federal de Alagoas described them as “everyday warriors, fisherwomen and craftswomen who earn their living from the waters and transform the reality of their families and community through work, art and courage”. The article states that these women “are transforming the world with their hands – shaping the future and building knowledge that will be passed down through generations. With creativity, sustainability and a deep commitment to the land and culture of their people, they are generating more than income. It is the dignity, sense of belonging and real transformation that is achieved through the power of female entrepreneurship and the tireless courage of those who reinvent themselves every day”.
Eliane works with other women in the region to transform polluting waste substances into organic fertilizer.
AMAJE was born out of the women’s desire to play a more active role in their environment. With the support of the local marine reserve, Reserva Extractiva Marina de la Laguna de Jequiá (RESEX) and the biodiversity conservation institute, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservación de la Biodiversidad (ICMBio), they began to organize themselves to take part in training, environmental activities and recycling projects. One of the main challenges they faced was the pollution of the lagoon, particularly because of the crab (siri in Portuguese) remains, which is a common feature in local fishing. The discarded shells accumulate on the shore, affecting both the environment and the health of families.
The response was creative and decisive. The women began to produce organic fertilizer from the crab shells. Elaine explains that, “The lagoon was becoming polluted from the waste that the fishers would discard, and this was harming the ecosystem”. With the assistance of various organizations, “we learned to transform this waste into fertilizer, and in so doing to benefit the environment and our finances”. The project was a success, generating a new source of income for the women and positioning AMAJA as an authority in the region.
However, the work of Eliane and her colleagues is not limited to this activity. In addition to fertilizer, they produce craftwork with recycled material; collect used oil to produce soap and engage in community-based tourism. They also organize lagoon clean-up days, promote waste collection and foster environmental education. She explains that “We want to teach people that we can live in harmony with nature, without destroying it”.
Working and living in peace
Rural life in Jequiá da Praia comes with its own difficulties. Eliane mentions the lack of infrastructure and limited access to technology as frequent obstacles. However, she also stresses the benefits of living in the countryside: daily contact with nature, the ability to produce your own food, the peaceful environment. It is a healthier, purer life that is much better than in the city”, she insists. But although “beautiful, it is difficult” for those whose work involves catching crabs, fish, shrimp and other seafood on a daily basis”.
As a rural woman, Eliane must also contend with challenges stemming from machismo and traditional structures. “Often, we are not allowed to take courses or participate in meetings, and that makes our work difficult, but we won’t give up. The women here are strong”, she insists. She believes that her group has a transformative power. “We are involved in fishing, agriculture, and the food and craft industries. We also take care of the environment. Women have strength, courage and the capacity to work. We can make a difference”.
As AMAJE has increased its activities, it has also been gaining greater recognition. In recent years it has managed to access new resources, increase its visibility and set its sights higher. Today, it is carrying out projects to build its own offices, open a restaurant on the banks of the lagoon and establish an industrial kitchen to expand collective production.
“We want to attract more resources, expand our physical space and promote sustainable development in our community”, says Eliane, with a mixture of pride and hope.
Eliane and her colleagues produce fertilizer and craftwork with recycled material; collect used oil to produce soap; engage in community-based tourism; and organize lagoon clean-up days, thereby fostering environmental education.
AMAJE’s work earned it first prize in the first edition of Mujeres Rurales – España Reconoce – an award created and supported by international organizations, including IICA. Beyond this accolade, Eliane does not forget to talk about day-to-day life – the silent but constant work of her companions. “Our greatest reward—she says—is seeing that the lagoon is cleaner, that women have work and that our daughters can dream of a better future”.
When asked if she would recommend life as a fisher in Jequiá da Praia to young people and other people who want to choose life in these areas, she does not hesitate. “I would tell them ‘yes’ and that life in the countryside is better. We breathe clean air, we work with things that we like, and we live in peace, in harmony with nature”.
Today, Eliane continues to weave nets in her community: not only fishing nets but also the networks that unite women of different generations behind a common project providing care, dignity and autonomy. Her simple and powerful history is proof that rural female leadership is not only necessary, but profoundly transformative.
An article by the Universidade Federal de Alagoas described Eliane and her colleagues as “everyday warriors, fisherwomen and craftswomen who earn their living from the waters and transform the reality of their families and community through work, art and courage”.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
