When Kapawi was first built in 1996, key social, economic, and environmental standards were an essential part of the original project, and 25 years later remain sustainability objectives. The ecolodge remains fully owned and operated by the Achuar communities, training and employing 100% of its staff from the local communities, and working along the local value chain to generate additional income for local producers and service providers. A percentage of every traveler's income is used to support community education, health, conservation, food security, and sustainable production needs. Kapawi also works to implement environmental standards to reduce its footprint, such as 100% energy consumption provided by solar cells.
Kapawi has partnered with Universidad del Azuay and Fundacion Pachamama to develop 1 additional electric boat for community transportation and for taking our visitors out on river expeditions. This will reduce Kapawi's fossil fuel footprint and we are hoping to create a broader reduction in fossil fuel reliance in our region by implementing a community-wide electrification project that provides more solar development and electric boats for our neighboring communities. Kapawi has always been a center for innovation and community development amongst the Achuar communities, and we're currently supporting our neighboring communities to develop solar systems to expand our regional approach to sustainability.
Over the years, we realized we had to further evolve to create a deeper connection between traveler and destination. To do this, we reinforced our work with our partners and friends, and increased our collaboration with the local communities in the region, including Sharamentsa and Wayusentsa. Over the past 20+ years, our guests have told us that when they visited these local communities they feel like they become truly immersed in the local culture and more connected to the relationship that the Achuar people have with the Amazon Rainforest. The Kapawi travel experience provides our guests with an authentic and close interaction and immersion into the Achuar world that inspires travelers to ponder their own relationship with nature and society, and helps them take new actions in life.
In order to provide meaningful cultural immersive experiences, Kapawi collaborates with 10 surrounding Achuar indigenous communities. Neighboring communities such as Sharamentsa and Wayusentsa are important allies to Kapawi’s guest experience and provide complementary travel services, including accommodation at community eco-camps and immersion in the Achuar community life. In the case of Wayusentsa, a partner community 1 hour upstream the Capahuari river from Kapawi’s dock, establishing appropriate water and energy equipment and installations will fulfill the minimum environmental and service standards to host travelers and visitors.
Wayusentsa’s project has already received support from The Pachamama Alliance, to install a new solar pump and renovate all water installations for the entire community. At the moment, the community is building a new bathroom house for their ecotourism camp, including new plumbing, fixtures and installations. To complete the project, Wayusentsa needs to build the wastewater system and also needs electrical and solar installations for the camp.
Kapawi Ecolodge believes that a community-centered tourism model must go beyond ecotourism, and reinvest in the destination’s community needs. We dedicate roughly 10% of our profits towards sustainability and community projects in the region. This model allows us to have a small fund to pilot and advance these projects, however, we need to raise additional funds to continue to operate these community projects and expand their coverage and benefits.
Kapawi invites you to contribute to Improving Wayusentsa’s Community Ecotourism Camp with a donation. Your support will allow us to:
Complete plumbing and electrical installations for the new guest bathroom area.
Improve the kitchen plumbing and energy installations.
Improve Wayusentsa’s solar installations with new fixtures and lights.
Purchase new sleeping mats, sheets and linens for the beds at Wayusentsa
You can donate directly by reaching out to us at info@kapawi.com. Your contributions are restoring one of our planet's most critical ecosystems and building a brighter future: for everyone! Thank you!