RAINFOREST VOICES

NoeMI

THE RAINFOREST SHAMAN

Noemi is from the village of Tinkareni in Cool Earth’s Ashaninka Project in Peru. She is the oldest woman in the project, as well as the most respected elder in the community. She is the community’s sheripiari – the Ashaninka word for shaman.

“I live here, this is my house in Tinkareni, this is my forest, my community. I was born here and I’ve lived here ever since - I belong to the community of Tinkareni. I love living here, the forest provides me with all I have. It feeds me and provides clean air that comes towards me and gives me life. For me, the forest is everything.”

ADELAIDA

SAVING THE MOTHERS OF THE RAINFOREST

The daughter of the Chief of Cutivireni, Adelaida Bustamante is one of the most fiercely intelligent people you could hope to meet. With a background in medicine, she is pioneering Cool Earth’s work to protect the mothers and newborn babies in our Ashaninka Project. She’s also expecting her first child.

“My happiest moment was when I learned that I was pregnant. Being a mother is a joy and such a gift. I cannot wait to care for my child. But there are downfalls to being a mother in the rainforest. Many of our women suffer from the dangers of childbirth. Last year, I nearly lost my sister Telma from a retained placenta, so I am very privileged to be working with Cool Earth to protect the pregnant women of my community. It is so important because our women will be much safer and have the care and support from others”.

CLADYS

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD’S LITTLE QUEEN

As a young child, Cladys’ village was offered a cash deal from the loggers to take their trees. Rather than accept the deal and lose their rainforest home, her village got in touch with Cool Earth. Vivienne Westwood and husband Andreas fell in love with little Cladys when they visited the community.

“We fell in love with Cladys, so elegant: a little queen of five or six who is adopted by Chabuca. Cladys looked at and listened to everything we did and said; she seemed the last to go to bed. One day, I was sitting in the river when she came and splashed me to have a game, often she was shy but her curiosity got the better of her; the expressions on her face from serious to laughing went full circle through the whole range of human beauty.”

Vivienne Westwood

ALBIDAO

A MECHANIC IN THE MAKING

Albildao Atamain Weepiu is from the Awajun project in Peru. He’s at school in Urakusa where Cool Earth have provided schoolbooks and solar lights to enable to pupils to do their homework in the evenings.

When he leaves school he’d like to be a mechanic, so he can repair broken tools and take care of the forest.

“The thing I like about Urakusa is the trees that we always have, and that we are healthy, without illnesses. Also we drink clean, free water, and the farm produces the best crops”

“My worry is the climate and the change in the air quality caused by logging and making roads. We have to concern ourselves with maintaining the forest and reforestation. This way we can breathe clean air.”

SERGIO

CACAO PRESIDENT

Sergio Capeshi is President of the Cacao Co-operative that is out-pricing forest destruction in our Ashaninka Project.

The Co-operative is called Ayompari, which is the name of the Ashaninka’s traditional form of trade. With Ayompari now representing 174 families, Sergio has a busy harvest season ahead.

“What I love most about my role is being able to support my Ashaninka brothers. Cacao is vital for us. It gives a household sustainability - money for health, education, food for our children. This year we have more growers, which is good but also a challenge. Tools have helped our production but it‘s the capacity building that makes the real difference – that’s what is really helping us get the best quality from the bean.”

Chabucca

THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT

Chabuca has been voted the first woman President of Tsimi - the community association that leads our Ashaninka Project in Peru. This means the fate of 1.5 million acres of rainforest is under her leadership. No pressure.

“With all my heart I want to help my community. My community selected me to become President. At that moment I thought about my Ashaninka brothers and how the Peruvian State has forgotten about them, so I accepted. Now I feel that I’m able to support them because of Cool Earth. During my period as President of Tsimi I want everyone – both men and women – to benefit from this association in order for them to feel happy. There are so many necessities in our villages, for example school supplies, healthcare, supplies for each village. I want to help them, even if it’s just a little. For me, becoming the first woman President means ‘the Ashaninka can do it’. Thanks to Cool Earth for having a heart as big as the sky.”