Brasília, 7/15/2004 (Agência Brasil) - Maria Geruza Rocha has a grievance she will present at the First National Conference on Public Policy. She represents women who work with coconuts (there are various kinds in Brazil). Her movement (Movimento Interestadual das Quebradeiras de Coco) exists in four states: Maranhão, Pará, Tocantins and Piauí. At the conference, Maria Geruza will call for a law to protect the more than 500 coconut workers in the four states, giving them social security benefits and healthcare. One of her arguments is that there are 63 economically viable uses for the oil of a small coconut that comes from the Babassu tree (Orbignya barbosiana), ranging from cosmetics to a pollution-free fuel.

Translator: Allen Bennett