In the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, Santa Claus has abandoned his traditional carriage to sit at the front of a motorized boat, welcoming children steadfastly waiting for him on the beach. His red and white dress contrasts with the emerald green of the world’s largest tropical forest and the brown waters of the Solimoes River.
Santa Claus shouts “Merry Christmas!” and rings the bell before disembarking from his boat, in the town of Paraná da Terra Nova, 24 km from Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon.
As part of an initiative by the association “Amigos de Papa Claus” (Friends of Santa Claus), Santa meets members of poor families who live on the banks of the river, 24 kilometers from Manaus.
When he finally sets foot on the ground, after three hours of sailing, this unusual Santa Claus opens his arms to welcome the children running towards him.
“We can’t change the world, but we can make children smile at Christmas,” Jorge Alberto, 57, dressed in a thick Santa suit with a false beard despite the scorching heat, told AFP.
Santa Claus sometimes struggles to bring gifts to those who live in the most isolated areas.
Borrowing a small boat to enter a narrow bend in the river, he paces hesitantly over a makeshift bridge made of loose boards.
And when the Amazonian Santa Claus reaches his destination, the reward is: seeing the wide smile on the face of children who for a while forget their harsh reality, in a region severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The challenge is to go where others won’t,” explains Denise Kasama, 50, coordinator of the project, which aims to reach 4,000 children by Christmas. We do not come only to give gifts, but to bring joy.”
The heavy rain that fell at the end of the day did not dampen the enthusiasm of the volunteers who organized the games and drew faces.
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