Size of Wales is proud to announce details of two new grants from the Honnold Foundation and Co-op Foundation that will support work both in the Peruvian Amazon and Wales.
Honnold Foundation
The Santiago River in the native community of Soledad. Credit: Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampís
Size of Wales is one of 14 new grantees of the Honnold Foundation. The grant will support the Wampís Nation to build the first solar-powered boat in the Peruvian Amazon.
The Wampís will work with Kara Solar and the Achuar Nation to construct the 10-person boat, with training provided to construct and maintain it. Solar panels will also be installed in the Wampís community of Shinguito to provide renewable energy, powering fridges for the local fishing association, and providing power to homes and a school.
The Wampís Nation are an Indigenous community in the Peruvian Amazon with a population of 15,000. Their territory of over 1.3 million hectares is extremely biodiverse with 98% of the forest remaining intact, despite logging and mining. In 2015, they declared themselves a nation, forming Peru’s first autonomous Indigenous government.
Shapiom Noningo, Technical Secretary of the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampís Nation said:
“The Wampís continue to protect their territory, their forests and rivers, guaranteeing the continuity of their way of life. The use of solar energy for river transportation is one of the key ways of achieving that goal.”
You can read more about this project on the Honnold Foundation website.
Co-op Foundation
Photo: Upper Rhymney Primary School
The Carbon Innovation Fund is an exciting new initiative by the Co-op Foundation which supports climate change projects to the tune of £4.3 million in the UK and across the world.
Size of Wales is one of 14 new grantees and the funding will support a new campaign. Starting in September 2022, Deforestation Free Communities will help empower Welsh communities to tackle overseas deforestation through collective action, collaboration, and behaviour change. This includes introducing more sustainable farming and food systems.
The campaign builds on existing work to make Wales a Deforestation Free Nation.
Size of Wales Deputy Director Barbara Davies-Quy said:
Action on overseas deforestation is critical to reaching global climate targets and stopping the climate crisis in its tracks.
“We are therefore delighted to receive this funding to support businesses, farmers, schools community groups and local authorities in Wales to become empowered to tackle deforestation and set an example for other nations to follow
You can read more about the Carbon Innovation Fund on the Co-op Foundation website.
