Daniela Silva

Daniela Silva, widely known as Dani, is a climate activist, Black feminist, educator, and the creator of the Aldeias Project. Her commitment to human rights and social and environmental justice emerged during early community meetings opposing the construction of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant, where leaders such as Bishop Dom Erwin and Antônia Melo warned of the devastating impacts the project would have on Amazonian identity and local ways of life.

As the second largest hydroelectric plant in the world reshaped the region, Daniela witnessed Altamira become one of the most violent cities in the country. Children and young people lost their parents—including two of her nephews, Neymar and Maria—an experience that deeply marked her and led to the creation of Projeto Aldeias, a support network for children and youth in the Amazon.

Today, Daniela continues to coordinate and expand the project while advocating for greater awareness and action in defense of children’s and youth rights. Her work centers on the belief that young people must be seen, heard, and supported as full subjects of rights, with the power to shape their own futures.