Transference process to the Achuar people,
walking to 2011 year
Kapawi Ecolodge & Reserve is a unique project,
it is the first community-based ecotourism project
located in the Southern part of the Ecuadorian Amazon
inside the Achuar territory. In 1993 our private
company Canodros Tour Operator and Achuar Federation
signed a historical convene to initiate the first
ecotourism project in that area. Many things have
happened since the first meeting, this has been a
bunch or learning lessons for both sides because there
was not any referent to lead us in this process where
a private company and an indigenous group are involved,
in fact Kapawi is a model in the implementation of
sustainable ecotourism in Latin America.
Walking to 2011
year when the entire lodge will be transferred to
the Achuar People with no cost for the beneficiaries,
it was necessary to establish some previous steps
to allow us (both partners) get to a successful transference.
1.- Review all the terms and conditions
of the convene, that step was made through an extraordinary
assembly which took place in the Shuin Mamus community
on April 2005. To this important event the Achuar
Federation and representatives of 9 Achuar associations
had a very active participation and also Canodros
S.A. as part of this convene. The results of this
assembly made our agreements and commitments stronger
in the transference process.
2.- Conform a permanent commission
to work in the transference process.
In order to continue working in
the transference process and based on the last years
experiences it was necessary to create a permanent
technical commission to keep a continuous work and
follow up the permanent activities without worry about
the change of Achuar leaders each 3 years. To get
that important goal Canodros S.A. and the Achuar Federation
with 26 representatives of all Achuar communities
attended to a big meeting in Sharamentza community
on May 2005. Sharamentza was the witness of the creation
of the permanent commission with the participation
of 7 Achuar members (2 from Pastaza province, 2 from
Morona Santiago, 1 from Kapawi community and 2 from
the Achuar Federation leaders), these people and Canodros
representatives will actively work in the transference
process following goals and activities considered
in the 8 main subjects (Environment, Infrastructure,
Business Administration, Cultural Issues, Organizational
Issues, Legal Assistance, Air transportation, and
Sustainable Local Production), these subjects where
chose by the consensus of both partners.
3.- Financial Support for the Transference
Process Canodros is a private company and the Achuar
Federation is an indigenous organization, both partners
even when our goals include as one of the main objectives
the conservation of the Tropical Rain Forest have
enough income to invest such a big amount quantity
of money in order to get a successful transference
process. Fortunately some non profit organizations
have showed serious interest to help to make this
dream a sustainable truth, one of them is Conservation
International which had supported part of the expenses
of the last two meetings and also had contributed
with technical advise. Thanks to the help of good
friends of Achuar people and our own efforts the transference
process will be possible in 2011.
In few weeks we will publish in
this site more information about the transference
process.
