Sapara People of the Ecuadorian Amazon
Our founding project, the Sapara project is centered around the community of Llanchamacocha in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The Sápara Nation is recognized by UNESCO as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” With fewer than 600 Sapara people between Ecuador and Peru, less than 5 native speakers of the Sapara language still alive, the Sapara are very much on the brink. Furthermore, their land and culture are threatened by oil development and encroaching deforestation. It is very important to the Sapara to keep their culture alive in the ways they always have existed – living in the forest, dreaming, living in community close to nature. A focal point for keeping the younger generations engaged is the school, where they learn reading and writing but also traditional knowledge, like medicinal plants, crafts, and where they can develop leadership skills.
The Sapara project focuses on supporting education, which includes language revitalization and developing relevant curriculum that incorporates traditional knowledge. Our local partner is Fundación Naku.
The school needs funding for materials, teacher salaries, and transportation.
Future projects include: health, especially women and maternal health and agroforestry.
