A Jewish Charity Is Striving to Make a Difference in the Future of Brazil

The pandemic has hit Brazil particularly hard. Nobody is safe from its clutches and nobody is immune. Already, the country is being overwhelmed by the virus despite a President who has consistently downplayed its impacts, calling it the "little flu." Now, even he has contracted the virus after feeling unwell for several days. Even as the government of Brazil flounders as it tries to get its act together, there are charities that are stepping up to provide assistance.

One such charity is Instituto Dana Salomão, a charity that has donated thousands of masks and hand gel sanitizing packets to numerous areas throughout Brazil, including some of the hardest-hit areas. Due to local shortages, much of the masks and other supplies were sent by Jacob Maslow of Israel. Instituto Dana Salomão is led by Maia Ben Toguchi and is named after Dana Salomão.

Dana Salomão is a woman of Jewish descent who is originally from the Western Sahara. A woman with an incredible life story, Dana Salomãoa was a refugee woman who was forced to flee her country in order to raise her family. Her life was a story of incredible struggle as she fought for her family and for what was right. She always fought for those who needed help. She imbued these qualities in her children and she also sought to live a life that was spent in the service of others. She knew the struggle that she endured growing up and she wanted to help others fight their own fight. Now, her spirit lives on in the Instituto Dana Salomão.

Now more than ever, the world needs people like Dana Salomão. She set a shining example for everyone on how to help each other during trying times. All over Brazil, there are countless people who are struggling to find food, water, and other basic necessities. Right now, this includes masks, gloves, and packets of hand gel. As the virus continues to spread, this threatens to overrun the hospital system, with the potential to leave countless people stranded.

The good news is that the population of Brazil is stepping up, led by Instituto Dana Salomão and Maia Ben Toguchi. While they have already distributed thousands of masks and packets of hand gel, more is needed. There are millions of people in Brazil and the virus is spreading quickly. Therefore, anyone who can spear any medical supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE), should reach out to the Instituto Dana Salomão and provide a donation. This could be the difference that ends up saving the life of someone in need in Brazil.