Happy Earth Day!

As we celebrate Earth Day this year you can take heart knowing that Village Earth’s Peruvian Amazon Indigenous Support Network is hard at work trying to protect one of Earth’s most important ecosystems.  It has been shown time and time again that the best way to protect the Amazon Rainforest is to support the local communities that live there. The Amazon Rainforest plays a major role in global climate systems and is often referred to as the “lungs of the world.” Its destruction would have disastrous global implications. But there is cause for hope. It has been shown time and time again that the best way to protect the Amazon Rainforest is to support the local communities that live there. For over six years now, we have worked closely with indigenous communities on the issues that they themselves have determined as important for both their cultural well-being and that of the environment.  Protection of their lands has continually surfaced as the number one issue.  We have been working closely with local representative organizations and community leaders to hold trainings in GPS and compass technology so that communities can demarcate on the ground where their boundaries lay. We are currently supporting a grassroots group, formed out of one of the regional land demarcation workshops, called the Coalition for the Protection of Shipibo Lands, who are training other surrounding communities to demarcate their lands.  This is especially important as the incursions by loggers, oil companies, and outside colonists continues onto legally titled indigenous lands.  The more communities we can reach together, the more acres of rainforest that can be protected. However, protecting their lands is not enough.  Many communities also need clean water. Over 80% of preventable illness in the “developing” world stems from water access and quality. In the Peruvian Amazon the situation is no different. Many children get sick and die because of lack of access to clean water. Many communities get their water directly from rivers, streams, and swamps. And the situation is worsening with the increased industrial development in the region.  To address this need, Village Earth is working to connect local well drillers with the communities to install deep clean water wells. This Earth Day, we ask that you support Village Earth’s Peruvian Amazon Indigenous Support Network as we work to make sure marginalized communities have greater control over the decisions and resources that shape their lives and ours.  Please contribute by donating through the donation button to the right. Thank you for your continued support of Village Earth and the Peruvian Amazon Indigenous Support Network.