Story
The challenge
On the 1rst of March 2025, a team of 20 people composed of Jacobs' members complemented by friends & family will take the challenge of walking in 1 day the full length of Hadrian's Wall to raise money in support of the Well Project to bring clean water to isolated indigenous communities in Brazil.
We will split in 7 groups to cover the full length of the trail, each group walking a distance of 15 to 22km.
The Well Project
Mining and deforestation in the Amazon have led to significant contamination and environmental degradation. Mining activities often use mercury to extract gold.
Mercury contaminates rivers and streams, affecting aquatic life and local communities. Fish near gold mining areas have been found to have high concentrations of methylmercury, which poses a serious health risk to people who consume them.
Large-scale deforestation occurs to clear land for mining operations and not only destroys habitats but also contributes to soil erosion and disrupts local water cycles. This is having a direct impact on biodiversity loss but also threatens Indigenous Communities by the loss of clean water supply and food sources.
The Planetary Healing Centre, based near Edinburgh helps grassroots groups of indigenous people in Brazil who are in the frontline of mining and deforestation activities. Currently, the non-profit organisation is funding a groundwater well development programme for indigenous communities to gain access to clean potable water.
Wells have already been provided to three different villages and further support is encouraged to continue helping communities by forming the next groundwater well in Kaxinawa’ of Belo Monte.