Achuar people from Ecuador gain tremendous support with San Francisco partners
Posted by Kath Delaney, Founder and Chief Executive Officer on November 20, 2006
Dave Ellis put it well when he spoke last week at the annual Pachamama Alliance luncheon: years ago, when fundraiser extraordinaire and author Lynne Twist asked him to donate $25,000, he said he wished he could, but didn’t have the funds. He said Lynne encouraged him to go out and make it, then! So Dave eventually became a philanthropist after taking her advice.
Pachamama, founded by San Francisco change agents Lynne and Bill Twist (they actually call themselves “foundees,” since Pachamama found the Twists), has a two-fold mission: to preserve the earth’s tropical rainforest by empowering the indigenous people who are its natural custodians, and to contribute to the creation of a new global vision of equity and sustainability for all.
Sitting next to Bill in the Fort Mason Pavilion, which had been transformed by volunteers into a bright and colorful tropical rainforest feast, I admired the magnetism of the mission and the organization’s leadership to attract over 1,000 to attend the lunch. Two leaders from the Achuar Federation flew north from Ecuador to speak at the lunch, Jaime Tanchim and Cristobal Caller.
The Achuar people from Equador and Northern Peru collaborate with Pachamama Alliance for access to technical expertise and funding to support the design and implementation of a variety of projects. This year, among many other accomplishments, Pachamama trained and coordinated the efforts of Achuar, Shuar and Shiwiar technicians to map, inventory and secure title to 850,000 acres of their lands.
About 3,500 Achuar people live in the Amazon basin and their home covers over 2 million acres of rainforest.
The luncheon, which had a goal of raising $1 million, was attended by several Bay Area change agents including: New York Times best selling author John Perkins, social justice leader Van Jones (Global Leader for Tomorrow award, 2002) of the Ella Baker Center, and environmental business superstar Paul Hawken.
By serving organic food and using reusable or recyclable materials for serving, the event was certified for a net-zero impact on the earth’s climate.
If you’d like to participate in the collaborative work by Pachamama and the Achuar people, please go to: http://pachamama.org/.
You can reallocate your dollars toward life by giving Pachamama a designated amount every month. To learn more about Lynne Twist’s work, please go to: http://www.soulofmoney.org/.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
