Petrobras Begins Donation of Food Baskets in Rio de Janeiro for Vulnerable Population Due to Pandemic

In The State, 4,925 Baskets Will Be Donated Through The Uça and Mão na Massa Projects

The Covid-19 pandemic has worsened unemployment in Brazil and increased the number of people living in extreme poverty. To assist families in vulnerable situations, Petrobras is starting this week the donation of 180,000 basic food baskets, with 4,925 in municipalities of Rio de Janeiro, through the Uça and Mão na Massa Projects. Communities in Duque de Caxias, Itaboraí, Guapimirim, and Maricá are among the first to benefit in the state. The total donation amounts to R$ 22.7 million invested and will benefit a total of 60,000 families in ten states across the country, who will receive the donation for three months. To determine the families to be supported, a preliminary mapping was conducted in neighboring communities of the company’s refining and natural gas operations and in data from subscribers in the Government Federal’s Single Registry for social programs.

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“These basic food baskets will help the communities near our operations during this still critical period of the pandemic. We understand the population’s difficulties and are seeking ways to help alleviate the situation,” says Petrobras’ Executive Manager of Social Responsibility, Olinta Cardoso.

The action will be executed by Petrobras’ partner non-profit institutions, which will receive funds from the company to acquire and deliver the supplies to families, following all Covid-19 prevention protocols. Depending on the location, families may also be served with the distribution of cards for the purchase of food in previously registered local businesses.

“By acquiring the baskets from local commerce, we strengthen small entrepreneurs, who have also been significantly affected by the pandemic,” concludes Olinta.

Other Initiatives

Petrobras has been carrying out a series of voluntary actions to support society in facing the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, donations of diagnostic tests, personal protective equipment, hospital equipment, and fuel have been made to supply ambulances, health team transportation vehicles, and generators for public hospitals that treat Covid-19 patients.

In 2021, Petrobras began donating 2,500 oxygen cylinders to benefit state health departments. So far, Amazonas, Bahia, Paraná, Ceará, and Rio Grande do Sul have already received cylinders. The company also invested in the acquisition of 12 mini oxygen plants to supply public hospitals, each capable of supporting about 20 ICU beds. The states where the plants will be installed follow the same criteria used for donating the oxygen cylinders: having Petrobras operational units and the critical nature of contamination and mortality rates from Covid-19.

The amount allocated by Petrobras for these voluntary actions to support society in facing the Covid-19 pandemic has already reached R$ 100 million. Part of the approved amount for these actions comes from resources recovered by Petrobras in a leniency agreement signed recently.

Source: Petrobras Communication