Support indigenous women-led enterprises in 5 indigenous Kichwa communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest. Economic resilience and forest stewardship go hand in hand. Over 100 women are organizing sustainable projects like agroforestry, traditional crafts, and pisciculture to support themselves while protecting this incredibly biodiverse and essential area of the Amazon. These women are forging a new future for themselves and their communities-- and the forest they call home.
Communities without access to clean water, education, internet, sustainable livelihoods, or institutional and technical support, have much weaker capacities to support and lead forest protection, restoration, or biodiversity conservation work. Community resilience and wellbeing is a critical factor in preventing deforestation. Our partner communities have little access to any of those core services, and women have even fewer opportunities to support themselves economically.
Creating opportunities for communities and women to make an income builds community and region-wide economic stability and resilience to the threats to forests, rights and livelihoods. Through sustainable pisciculture, artisan handicrafts, ecotourism, and agroforestry, working with native cachama fish and products like vanilla, native bees, essential oils, medicinal plants, and spices, the women are paving the way for a future of thriving and resilience in their communities, and for the forest.
Impact goals: 1. Economic resilience and opportunity in indigenous communities 2. Permanent protection of critical standing rainforests 3. Greater access to basic services and resources including: health care, education, clean water, food security, etc 4. Protection of critical and threatened biodiversity 5. Restoration of degraded areas 6. Women's leadership and empowerment 7. Greater access to education and support for local schools 8. Strengthened community capacities for conservation
