This week wraps up my internship with Yanapuma, a five-year old organization working in Ecuador to support sustainable community development. I was fortunate enough during my time here to travel to the community of Bua, outside of Santo Domingo de los Colorados, and work with the Tsa’chila indigenous group on their reforestation and organic family garden projects. My time in Bua was a much welcomed respite from the chilly mornings and busy streets of Quito and it has been an incredible experience.
There are reportedly less than 3,000 Tsa’chila remaining and Bua is one of only 7 communities left outside of the ever-sprawling city of Santo Domingo.* The people of Bua, along with the efforts of Yanapuma, are working to preserve their rich culture and way of life by promoting sustainable projects in the community in various areas such as agriculture, reforestation, health, and education.
The family gardens project is only in its first year and already shows great potential. Having worked on nutrition projects in Bolivia, I can say firsthand how difficult it is to successfully implement a project that attempts to alter ingrained eating habits or quotidian behaviors without being culturally insensitive, shortsighted, or ignorant to the concerns of the community. The workshops provided by Yanapuma and the trust they have earned from years working closely with the community have fostered a cooperative environment where the traditions and culture of the Tsa’chila are respected and given priority in all projects. I worked closely with Giovanni Toapanta Pauta, the Agricultural Program Director for Yanapuma, and a resident of Sto. Domingo, taking household surveys that attempt to determine what the families (in this case mostly the women and children) have learned since the beginning of the garden project and whether or not they have included any additional foods into their diets. I also worked with individual families to learn specific gardening techniques and how to prevent and address pests using organic methods. Currently, the families in Bua must take the 30 minute, bumpy road to Santo Domingo several times a week in order to buy their vegetables and other food supplies. If the project is successful, these families will benefit considerably from improved nutrition and additional income by selling their surpluses in town.
The same families are also participating in a reforestation project in which they are responsible for planting the seeds and maintaining the saplings of native tree species for replanting in areas previously degraded or deforested. This is beneficial to Yanapuma because as the community is familiar with each species and its particular care needs, they are better equipped to supply the saplings. The families will benefit from the project as they are compensated for their work at the end of the year when the saplings are purchased for replanting.
There are significant challenges, of course. The garden project is still very much dependent upon support from Yanapuma and the tireless efforts of Giovanni to stay up and running. While I am not discouraged by this, as it is only in its first year, it does mean that the project is still extremely fragile and any small failure threatens to exhaust the community’s willingness to devote their continued efforts to it next year. The major threat this year has been the climate. Unusually high amounts of dry-season rainfall have increased pest infestations and drown out several crops. That said, the success of several “star” gardens has sustained motivations for now. Time and continued efforts will determine the future of the project. If it succeeds and becomes a sustaining part of community life, it will greatly increase the food security and sovereignty of the community and even provide an additional source of income for the families. It has been a great pleasure working with such an impressive and warm community where I am welcomed and included in every activity. I look forward to following the developments of these important projects and wish the community a successful future.
*Information on Tsa’chilas taken from Yanapuma’s website at:www.yanapuma.org
