Economic Growth Peru Project #12229

Support native artisans & rainforest in the Amazon

by Center for Amazon Community Ecology

Support native artisans & rainforest in the Amazon

Summary

Our long-term goal is to build sustainable livelihoods and conserve rain forests in 16 native and campesino communities in the Peruvian Amazon. We normally empower more than 200 native artisans in 16 communities to create and market innovative handicrafts and essential oils as alternatives to economic activities that degrade forests. During the COVID crisis we are focusing our efforts to provide medicine and other vital materials to our partners who are confronting the virus and loss of income.

$200,000
total goal

$35,686
remaining

471
donors

8
monthly donors

6
fundraisers

11
years

Challenge

Amazon forest loss is driving species to extinction, aggravating global warming, and robbing people of unique medicines, foods and other benefits. Cutting and burning forests is often more profitable than conserving them, so some native communities in northern Peru have illegally logged and grown coca and other cash-crops to escape poverty. They most want sustainable ways to improve their income, health and education that enhance forests, respect their culture, and strengthen their communities

Solution

This project will empower women artisans in 16 Amazon native and campesino communities in Peru to create and sell innovative handicrafts made with sustainably harvested chambira palm fiber and natural dyes. It will also train Bora men to produce fragrant essential oils rosewood and other aromatic plants. Old fields will be planted with chambira and rosewood tree seedlings to provide a long-term supply of raw materials for making crafts and oils.

Long-Term Impact

This project will generate sustainable income for over 200 native families by energizing their imagination, pride and traditional knowledge to create rare fragrances and unique crafts such as guitar straps woven with jungle snake patterns. They will learn new ways to protect their forest resources and rescue the rosewood tree for future generations. Communities will receive ongoing benefits as CACE reinvests 20% of its net craft sales to support health, education and conservation needs.