Saúde em Clima!
Taking their story to the world
How a small group of women turned lived experience into poetry, politics, and collective power that can change the conversation on the global stage.
In July 2025, eight women from Brazil’s Caatinga, one of the country’s poorest and most climate-affected regions, came together to deliberate climate, food, and health through a woman’s lens.
Inspired by the community assembly model but recognising the need for cultural adaptation, the Saúde em Clima (SEC) initiative hosted a one day community assembly in Recife. The gathering was designed to be a safe and creative space that combined shared conversations, collective self-care, and artistic expression, which then culminated in the creation of a Cordel poem, a traditional Northeastern form of poetry.
Eight women farmers and community leaders took part, most of them from small towns across the Caatinga. Although they’d never thought of themselves as part of the climate movement, their lives were shaped by agricultural work and food production, and they’d all lived its consequences. “They might not call themselves climate activists, but they live this reality every day,” said Amanda from SEC. Their diversity –– spanning different territories and life experiences –– brought a range of perspectives into the room.
What happened in the assembly?
SEC intentionally discussed the connection between mental health and climate change, a theme that the organisation had been cultivating in its broader work.
Activities included sensory mapping of the Caatinga, debates on disappearing crops such as milho (maize) –– essential for both subsistence and São João celebrations –– and collective singing, where participants wove their own verses into Luiz Gonzaga’s “Xote Ecológico.” Activities included sensory mapping of the Caatinga, where participants described their territory through what they see, smell, hear, and feel, linking these senses to memories of food, plants, and climate. They also debated the disappearance of crops like milho (maize), vital for both subsistence and São João celebrations, and ended the day with collective singing, weaving their own verses into Luiz Gonzaga’s “Xote Ecológico” — blending art, memory, and environmental awareness.
When they were invited to represent themselves in drawings and verses, several women shared experiences of body shame, food restriction, and health struggles. “Talking about food security with women also meant talking about whether they felt allowed to eat,” noted Amanda. “It became a space of care, where we looked after each other.”
Sharing stories –– from body image pressures to the disappearance of local plants used in celebrations like São João –– created deep bonds. The women discovered strength in their shared vulnerability, turning care into solidarity.
Lessons from the session
The assembly served as a vital step for women to share their histories collectively, and to project their voices toward spaces such as COP, although one day wasn’t long enough to move from storytelling to concrete proposals for actions. Facilitators suggested having two shorter sessions in future, allowing time for reflection in between. Because mental health and care were central to SEC’s framing, discussions often expanded beyond food and climate, requiring careful and sensitive facilitation to connect the discussion back to the themes. A trusted local partner was also essential in providing a safe, welcoming place where participants could spend the entire day together and share personal stories without fear.
Proving that every voice matters
The Cordel poem and political proposals weren’t symbolic exercises but real demonstrations of voice. “They kept saying this was their chance to take their story to the world, that what they live could reach the COP,” recalled one facilitator, referring to the hope that through the Assemblis platform their voices and proposals could travel from the Caatinga to international spaces of decision-making.
The women of Caatinga reminded us that all too often these stories often go untold but this assembly left them feeling confident that what they had to say mattered in the political arena.
Thinking of running an assembly?
Start with people, not format. Work through local connectors who can build trust, translate the process into familiar language and cultural forms, and allow time to slow down.
As one facilitator said,
“The time for understanding has to be part of the process, even if it doesn’t follow the schedule.”
What makes assemblies powerful is not polished outputs, but the way ordinary people discover, together, that their voices can shape the future.
Get our free Community Assembly Guide full of tips and practical resources for running your own assembly.
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