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Help Ensure a Future with Forests!
The Wampís Nation - an Indigenous Nation from the Peruvian Amazon and a Size of Wales partner since 2016 - has identified a desire and need to transition to renewable energy and end the use of polluting fossil fuels. This project supports the Wampís in realising that vision, beginning with two solar-powered, eight-seater boats - the first of their kind in Peru.
The Wampís’ main mode of transport around their territory is by boat as their territory spans two river basins and there are no roads. However, fuel for boats is extremely expensive and it contaminates waterways. Travel is essential to monitor and protect their forests from threats such as illegal logging, gold mining and oil exploration. Furthermore, increasing access and connectivity to otherwise rural villages helps strengthen the communities’ collective voice and vision, which in turn strengthens their response to these threats.
Size of Wales, in partnership with Kara Solar, trained Indigenous technicians – especially young people – to design, build, operate, and repair solar powered boats and charging points. The Wampís learnt directly from the Achuar People, their Indigenous neighbours over the border in Ecuador, who were the first to develop this green transportation technology. This work also provides employment opportunities and a future of exciting possibilities for the Wampís to use solar in many other ways, such as to power homes, schools and community centres.
The boats are operating well and the community hugely welcomed their arrival. They are already providing an invaluable service to the Wampís nation, helping community members to visit health centres including pregnant mothers, to go to school, transport their harvest, carry out their daily activities and patrol the river.
Their hope for the future is to set up a solar river transport system for the Amazon that promotes clean transportation and technological independence. This will ultimately ensure that we keep forests and Indigenous Peoples thriving, contributing to a better climate for all.
Their next step will be to use solar to support new and improved sustainable livelihoods such as cacao production, processing of local fruits like the aguaje for its vitamin-rich and medicinal oils and producing plantain flour. Solar panels will be installed in two communities, in Shinguito at the Kankaim river basin and Cadungos at Kanus river basin that will be able to run generators without polluting and using expensive fuel. Further support will be provided by a newly set up Producers Committee.
Hello my name is Maritza Kukush Paati, this is my community Shinguito. Our grandparents lived without pollution and dedicated their lives to farming and fishing in the rivers. My grandparents unfortunately no longer live in this world and nowadays we have great duties and responsibility to look after the forest. We must take care of forests and rivers so that they are not polluted.
As a young person and spokesperson in the defence of biodiversity, the forest is our wealth. The children who come from generation-to-generation will, generation-after-generation enjoy it without contamination.
Thanks to Kara Solar and the Wampís Nation for helping the community of Shinguito with a solar electric boat and with the vision of taking care of the forest and not polluting.
The Wampís Nation (population 15,000) are indigenous to the Peruvian Amazon. Their territory covers over 1.3 million hectares of tropical forest and is extremely biodiverse with 82% of the forest remaining intact, despite pressures from illegal logging and gold mining and oil exploration. The significance of the Wampís’ territory to climate protection in Peru and internationally is immense. A study estimated that the Wampis’ forests store 145 million tonnes of carbon. In 2015, they declared themselves a nation, forming Peru’s first autonomous Indigenous government.
Representing the Wampís Nation and was set up in 2015, forming Peru’s first Indigenous autonomous government. They support the Wampís life plan to achieve Tarimat Pujut – a harmonious state of good living.
An NGO based in Ecuador, working with Indigenous cultures to introduce clean transport networks and technological independence.
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