OIOC is an Indigenous-led organization of the Kamentsa in the Colombian Amazon, working to protect biodiversity and revive ancestral culture through language revitalization, women's empowerment, and ecological restoration. By restoring native forests and supporting 69+ families, we safeguard Yage wisdom and the living balance between people and the Amazon.OIOC is an Indigenous-led organization of the Kamentsa people in the Colombian Amazon, working to protect biodiversity and ancestral wisdom.
Kamentsa of the Sibundoy Valley, guardians of Yage (Ayahuasca) and ancestral ecological wisdom, face urgent threats. Deforestation and contamination endanger the Putumayo River, which provides 20% of the Amazon Basin's water. Centuries of colonization and inequality have left 69% families living in poverty, while only 6% still speak their ancestral language. The loss of land, language, and livelihoods threatens not just one people, but a living system of wisdom essential to the Amazon's balance.
OIOC addresses these interconnected challenges by restoring the land, language, and livelihoods of the Kamentsa. Through our Language Revitalization Program, elders and youth reconnect to ancestral knowledge. The Indigenous Science & Reciprocity Program bridges traditional medicine and global research to ensure ethical collaboration. The Root of Dignity Initiative rebuilds homes and strengthens family well-being, while Amazon Conservation restores native species and food sovereignty.
Over five years, OIOC aims to expand these efforts to reach 369 Kamentsa families, ensuring the transmission of language, ecological knowledge, and dignity for future generations. This project will strengthen cultural identity, restore native ecosystems, and create sustainable livelihoods rooted in reciprocity. By supporting this initiative, donors help safeguard one of the planet's most vital sources of wisdom - the ancestral science of living in harmony with the Earth - and ensure that the voi
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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