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The GUARDIANS of the Forest

by MetareProject, Laure Vancau, and Sara Botero Mesa

Leticia

The project aims to support indigenous people in the Amazon region during the 2020 COVID-19 global crisis. That project aims to provide communities with basic necessities and medical supplies.

CHF 10’047

100% of CHF 10’000

100 %
This is how it works

The «all or nothing» principle applies: The project only receives the funds if the funding target is reached or exceeded.

135 backers

Successfully concluded on 10/7/2020

Uphold the GUARDIANS of the Forest

57% of the Colombian Amazonas department’s inhabitants are indigenous people. The indigenous make up 26 groups with different languages and dialects: a vast cultural diversity. COVID-19 is putting them at risk of physical and cultural extinction. Why? Because some communities account for less than 100 people.

What are the consequences of extinction of indigenous communities in the Amazon?

  • A LOSS OF KNOWLEDGE about: the Amazon forest, traditional medicine, languages and cultural heritage.

  • A DEFENSE IN THE WORLD’S ECOLOGICAL BATTLE:

    1. The loss of these alternative mindsets is a loss of wisdom on how to manage the challenging future ahead. The pillars of this wisdom are the elders of the communities. Hence the increased danger related to their high mortality rate. (350 times higher than in a city)
    2. The loss of protection of the forest. Deforestation increases rapidly in areas where indigenous people are disappearing.

For a full explanation please see the situation fully presented IN THE VIDEO BELOW.

How can you HELP?

What we want?

We want to support the distribution of essential necessities and safety kits for families and indigenous communities in the Amazonas. Basically, for the price you pay for a meal in a restaurant, you can pay for a family’s basic essentials for 30 days and help sustain themselves in these difficult times.

  • A very basic meal (a combination of rice, plantain, and fish) and other essentials like soap, sanitizer, sanitary napkins, etc for a family of 5, for a week, costs around 7,5 CHF.

  • Bringing one person to the hospital costs 15 CHF and treatment 50 CHF. People are in danger to die far in the jungle because of the cost of transportation to health facilities.

Your money offers these families and indigenous communities a psychological and financial buffer to survive the lockdown, which may most probably be extended up to 2 or 3 months.

  • How your money will impact
    How your money will impact
  • Infographic Leticia - Italy
    Infographic Leticia - Italy

Why are WE doing this ?

Why WE care ?!

We are a group of master students from the University of Lausanne, EPFL and the University of Geneva; we had the opportunity to be part of a cooperation project between our universities, the EPFL and the National University of Colombia Amazonas Campus.

The ties that unite us today with the southern jungle of Colombia, managed to transcend the academy to link us from the heart with social and conservation projects that are developed within the indigenous communities of the Amazon rainforest.

Because we are convinced that the indigenous communities are the guardians of the forest and of the clean air that we breathe today, we consider that our humble role, in these difficult times, is to provide our support and build networks of solidarity that recognize their value and ensure their survival.

This is a 100% non-profit campaign. All funders will receive a financial transparency report disclosing the use of proceeds from this crowdfunding.

We were inspired by the Human Warrior project for India. https://wemakeit.com/projects/fight-hunger-fight-corona

Further information: