The Operational Coordinator of the Census (COC), Cláudio Marques Barbosa, participated in several meetings in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, in Amazonas, between February 21 and 25, to discuss partnerships for the 2022 Census and to better understand the peculiarities of the municipality with the highest percentage of population self-declared as indigenous in Brazil. In the last day of the visit, the coordinator met the servants involved in the Census, who took the opportunity to talk about their concerns and doubts during the preparation for the census operation.

Visit to São Gabriel da Cachoeira

In São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Cláudio Barbosa as well as the head of the UE, Ilcleson Mendes, the Operational Coordinator in Amazonas, Francisco Braz, the area coordinator Carlos Enock and the sub-area coordinator Laura Gryner, participated in meetings with a number of indigenous offices, including the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), the Indigenous Special Sanitary District (DESI) - Alto Rio Negro and the Federation of the Indigenous Organizations of Rio Negro (FOIRN). Besides that, all the team also met the Brazilian Army, looking for a cooperation to carry out the Census in the borders and in areas difficult to access.

It is worth highlighting that the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira is located 857 kilometers far from the capital of the state, Manaus, in a straight line, and that 76.6% of its population self-declared as indigenous in the 2010 Population Census.

This was the third visit of Barbosa to Amazonas. The coordinator said that he did not know São Gabriel da Cachoeira and highlighted that the major challenge in the municipality and in Brazil as a whole is to raise awareness of the population to answer to the IBGE.

“In addition to the logistics challenge, which we will try to detour with the partners Army, DSEI and FUNAI, another challenge is to mobilize the population to answer the Census. The entire infrastructure has already been built and we are now fine tuning the process. It will only work out if we convince people to understand the importance of receiving the enumerators.

Barbosa also said that competence and partnerships are key to the process. “Gryner, who is in charge of São Gabriel, is extremely able, knows the region well and the articulation made in the municipality was excellent. Working with partnerships is what will make the Census a success,” highlights him.

Meeting with census agents

Besides meeting partner offices in São Gabriel da Cachoeira during the week, Barbosa also met on Friday (25) servants involved in the Census, including the head of the unit, coordinators, analysts, CCSs, ACOs, etc. At the time, he received suggestions from servants and also cleared doubts that arose during the preparation for the Census.

After the meeting, Barbosa stated that “the team is motivated, from the head of the Unit to the Operational Coordinator to the ACSs. All of them are looking forward to carrying out a successful Census, providing the information we need.”

The coordinator also emphasized that the cooperation of everyone will make the difference in the Census. After the meeting, he highlighted that “it was quite interesting. People have good ideas, they are cooperating and they are really involved in the Census. It is a giant operation. As Mendes said, and it is quite relevant, if I make my small piece well done, we can build the entire puzzle and the entire operation will work out,” concludes him.