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For The Future,
Preserve Our Heritage
The Shawi Project is a multi-year partnership between western allies and the Shawi that will allow them to retain their language, culture, and land, while becoming fully empowered in the modern world.
Many thanks to Impact a Village, who was our fiscal sponsor for many years and made possible the support from our donors from outside of Peru. We are grateful for all we have been able to achieve with their help and their hard work and devotion to indigenous people in Peru and all over the world.
We are also grateful to the Rainforest Action Network, a grassroots organization in community conservation. RAN trains leaders, brings GPS and cell phones to rural areas and trains leaders in their use, and works closely with engineers and environmental prosecutors to protect indigenous territory.
We could not have done so much without these two organizations. As Impact a Village is ending some of their programs, we are seeking a new fiscal sponsor to accept international donations.
1. Schools and Education
Goals:
Short Term - An elementary school in each village, bilingual Shawi and local Spanish classes for 1st to 3rd grade for all students
Medium Term - Fully primary Education for all children to 6th grade, introduction to technology / computers
Long Term - a secondary school built in one of the villages
-Scholarships for students to attend a boarding school in the nearest town (it is at least a 3-4 hour journey)
-Scholarships for a handfull of the best students to attend a university, and become strong advocates for their people, and our planet.
Path: Continue to partner with the local government and international donors to secure funding for the building of new schools and teacher salaries for already existing schools.
Secure funding for teachers for later grades of elementary education through grade 6 for all 270 Shawi students.
To introduce laptops and technology for students so they can have the same access to opportunity as students in urban schools.
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To work with regional government to fund a secondary school in one of the villages so that students from the other villages would be able to walk there and get a secondary education. Village leaders are discussing which village would be best.
To secure scholarships for select students to attend the main catholic institute in Yurimaguas and for them to stay in town for the five years of High School. ( it is too far to commute ) until a secondary school can be built in the village. This may be done once all students have access to primary school.
To secure scholarships for students to get college educations and study to be engineers and nurses in Yurimaguas and Tarapoto
Education for permaculture, forestry, pottery, and art will also help the Shawi to become physically and financially sustainable.
While being respectful to the former abuse by westerners we are looking to codify a body of knowledge the Shawi consider essential to include this traditional wisdom and learning in our metrics. This includes proper tending of food and medicinal plants, managing of the wildlife within Shawi territory.
Achievements:
5 elementary schools have been built and students in those villages have access to up to third grade education
2 schools are under construction
our friends at Impact a village have funded 3 of the elementary schools, and partnered with the Pongo Caynarachi City Council on a 4th. The 5th was built by the Department of Education of San Martin
2. Solar Power and Technology
Goal: fully functioning Solar power in all 7 villages by 2026
Seeking funding for a small solar system in San Roberto, who has recieved a drone.
Path: We are looking for funding to expand solar access to all villages in the next 4 years.
The Solar systems cost $12,000 USD for panels, an inverter, wiring and installation, but much more affordable systems are a good start so leaders can charge cell phones, drones, and headlamps
Status: Currently Nuevo Pizana and San Roberto have small solar systems funded by Rainforest Action Network, to help charge cell phones and drones to protect their forests.
3. Medical Clinics and Medical Providers
Goal: -A medical clinic and trained care provider in each village by 2026
-Revitalization of traditional plant medicines and development of medicinal cultivars for sustainable preventative care treatments
Path for western medical care clinics:
1. Secure funding for 6 more clinics
2. Secure funding for pharmaceuticals to treat chronic stomach and lung infections, purchased from the Regional Public Pharmacy
3. Secure funding to train a health technician for each village to assist with simple injuries, administer antibiotics, pills and tonics.
-Common issues such as diarrhea, cold, pneumonia, wounds from machete and snake bites.
-Determine when a patient needs to get to the hospital in Yurimaguas.
4. Provide money for or in-kind donations of nutritional supplements, especially pre-natal and children's vitamins
Path for herbal medicinal care
1. Assist with providing an herbal Pharmacopia of native plants and revitalization of knowledge demonized by Christian Missionaries.
2. Offer non-native, non-invasive plants that may be of help to make herbal teas and tinctures for preventative care.
3. Offer knowledge of "superfoods," and non traditional foods that may be cultivated to provide additional nutrition.
Current Status and Achievements:
Impact a Village built a clinic in Nuevo Piziana an first aid rural cabins in 3 other villages. They have also provided funds for pharmaceuticals to treat children, women and the elderly and take them to hospitals for clinical treatments in Yurimaguas and Tarapoto.
4. Aquaculture
Goal: a 500 square meter fish pond in Nuevo Pizana a village, stocked with 2,500 fish by 2021
-A sustainable source of protein for schoolchildren and pregnant women
Path:
For Nuevo Ponderosa Village to connect to the Yucanayacu River
1. Hire a local aquaculture expert from Yurimaguas to Tarapoto, a contractor, and several builders to design and oversee construction of the pond.
2. Local men will volunteer as laborers to build the pond.
3. Stock the pond with 2,500 "Boquichico," (native amazonian fish). Fish can be purchased from the Yurimaguas Amazonian Institute
4. Maintain and sustain the pond.
5. Assist with the development of similar ponds for Nueva Alianza and Nuevo Tocache villages
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Fundraising Goals:
The Pond
1. Tools, picks, shovels etc. to build the fish pond - $500 USD
2. Pump to pull water from the river - $1,500 USD
3. Contractor to design the pond and oversee construction - $1,800 USD
4. Contractor assistants, $1,500 USD
5. Meals for contractors, assistants, and volunteer laborers for the duration of the build - $1,000 USD
The Fish
1. 2,500 "Boquichico" native fish, - $700 USD
2. Transport from Yurimaguas of baby fish by truck and river - $350 USD
3. Organic fish food to raise fish to adulthood - $350
4. Stipends to for villagers who will manage the pond. - $300 USD
Total Cost for sustainable aquaculture project to feed 60 Children, pregnant women and villagers
- $11,500 USD
Current Status: Seeking an engineer for a consultation about the water table during the rainy season to determine feasibility. Also considering if raising chicken would be a more immediate path to self sufficiency, despite requiring a lot of land clearing.
5. Organic Cotton Production, Weaving, and Clothing Manufacture
Goal: production of home goods and clothing, using traditional techniques and modern styles.
Path:
1.Determine market and feasibility
2. Purchase tools for carding, spinning and weaving cotton at a larger scale.
3. Work with someone from the fashion industry to develop patterns that will be popular for modern tastes
4. Develop a sustainable business plan
Current Status: Seeking volunteer advisors and connections within the Peruvian fashion industry.
6. Rainforest Conservation
Goal: To prevent illegal logging that threatens both Shawi territory and lives
Path:
1. Provide drones to Shawi for documentation
2. Provide drone training
3. Bring evidence to regional government for enforcement of recognized protected areas
Current Status - Two drones have been delivered and training has been provided. Leaders have been using the drones to monitor and document their territories.
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