Indigenous Youth Leading the Amazon's Future

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We hope this report finds you in good health, enjoying the season and embracing the spirit of Buen Vivir —a life rooted in harmony, connection, and fulfillment. Today, we’re proud to share some updates about the journeys of the Indigenous students we support. Many of these students, whom we’ve known since they began their university studies, are now reaching professional milestones and envisioning exciting futures ahead.

In recent months, two Awajún students, Josoe and Pitit, have joined the Chaikuni team. Josoe, an Environmental Management Engineering student, is working closely with the local authorities to register forest plantations in a Kukama Indigenous community. Meanwhile, Pitit, a Tropical Forest Ecology student, is contributing to an intercultural health project at the Indigenous Student Residence. There, she is helping implement spaces to increase the diversity of medicinal plants available.

Pitit’s story is especially close to our hearts. Over the years, she’s participated in women’s circles, shared her talent for songwriting, and completed internships at our Permaculture Center. Recently, she graduated and is now finalizing her thesis research, which focuses on documenting and preserving the traditional agroforestry knowledge of her Awajún community. We’ve been by her side throughout this process, including accompanying her into the field to support her work.

This year, OEPIAP welcomed students from 10 Indigenous nations, including Yagua, Arabela, Ticuna, Shawi, Achuar, Awajún, Wampís, Kichwa, Chapra, and Bora, and we’ve been supporting these students academically. Over the past months, we’ve held tutoring sessions for both university students and those preparing to apply for higher education. These sessions are tailored to address academic and cultural gaps while valuing the knowledge each student brings from their community. English classes, in particular, have been a standout favorite.

In November, OEPIAP celebrated its 21st anniversary. To mark the occasion, we organized a roundtable discussion on the challenges of interculturality in higher education. This event brought together representatives from many partner institutions, creating a much needed space for critical dialogue and strengthening our shared commitment to inclusive, transformative education.

As we approach the end of the year, we’re filled with gratitude and anticipation. This has been a year of growth, connection, and a return to the values that inspired the creation of our intercultural education program nearly a decade ago. It’s a joy to see the seeds planted back then now blossoming.

We wish you a peaceful and joyful closing of  the year and look forward to sharing more updates with you in 2025. Thank you for standing with us, helping us grow, and making it possible to witness these achievements.

Warmly,

The Chaikuni Institute Team

Dear friends and supporters,

We are excited to share with you the latest updates of our Intercultural Education Program in Iquitos. Our years of collaborating with the indigenous students have built a solid foundation of trust between us, allowing us to support them through pivotal moments in their personal and professional lives.

The indigenous student’s organization has been busy. At the end of May, after an open debate, they elected their new board members. As candidates, they sought our guidance to refine their proposals, sharpen their focus, and align their activities with the needs of the student body. Now that they’ve been elected, we’ll continue supporting them to implement plans that better integrate urban-academic knowledge with the wisdom of the more than 15 indigenous peoples in the organization.

In the last few months, we’ve also offered guidance to students nearing graduation, helping them integrate an intercultural approach into their thesis research. We’re seeing a growing number of Indigenous students successfully completing their higher education, and this year has been especially significant for female students. Amy (Achuar), Pitit (Awajún)—whom we mentioned in our previous report—and now Gimena (Achuar) have all reached this milestone, with Gimena earning the title of Official Tourism Guide. Additionally, Dámaris (Achuar), who defended and approved her thesis at the local university, and after completing the registration procedures for her degree, will finally be an Environmental Management Engineer.

A key initiative we held are regular sessions known as “círculos,” where students are invited to join in conversations, games, reflections on various topics, and mutual support. These sessions allow us to connect more deeply with their personal stories and specific needs.

We believe it’s important for them to connect not just with our team, but also with other allies and Indigenous representatives we work with. In May, we invited them to participate in our “Diálogo de Saberes,” (or Wisdom Dialogues) our most significant annual event, which fosters a network of knowledge-sharing, learning, reciprocity, and experience exchange. Three students from our “Promotores of Buen Vivir” (or “Good Living”) program took part. Euner, one of the students behind the handicraft business “Yaas” (mentioned in previous reports), shared his journey as an Awajún student, showcasing his culturally inspired designs at national and international fairs and using social media to reach a broader audience.

Finally, another significant effort has been facilitating the students’ reconnection with traditional medicine. For some, this means engaging with these familiar practices for the first time; for others, it’s a return to their roots and the ancestral knowledge passed down by their grandparents or community elders. The students have confided in us their sensations, visions, and gratitude for being able to reconnect with their ancestors and their vision of life through ceremony. We remain committed to supporting them on their personal path and being there for them as they continue to grow.

With hope and much gratitude for your continued support,

The Indigenous Students and the Chaikuni Team