In Ecuador…the Amazon population and sustainability experiences
More than 20 years ago, Nanto Canellos had a vision. The indigenous leader saw in dreams how the wooden huts in this isolated Amazonian community glowed from within as night enveloped the surrounding jungle. This village of 100 people is surrounded by some of Ecuador's largest oil reserves.
For more than 40 years, the local indigenous people, the Achuar, have been calling for an end to the oil extraction that has destroyed large areas of the Ecuadorian Amazon. But even as they were fighting fossil fuels, gasoline was their only option to light their homes and power the boats associated with their livelihood, as this region has the least electrical coverage in the country.
But now, a few solar panels in 12 villages in Ecuador's two densely forested eastern provinces are making Canelos' vision come true. Solar energy now shapes the way people go about their daily lives, from how they get to work to how they negotiate their relationships with the world beyond the Amazon. A new form of transportation in this isolated part of the forest, where there are no roads, rivers are highways, and small gasoline-powered boats are in common use, announcing their arrival from many kilometers away.
Now these boats are giving way to solar boats that move slower and leave no trace of gasoline in the water, another benefit for communities that rely on the river for drinking water, bathing and preparing food. Four boats, laden with boards on their decks, are now moving through 12 Achuar communities near the border with Peru.
Kara Solar, a non-profit organization that works to promote solar energy in this area, gave local residents boats that they are responsible for building, repairing and operating. The organization, which is funded by external donations, wants to add 10 more boats over the next two years. These boats helped the children, as they now have a safe way to get to school. Previously, they had to cross a rickety suspension bridge. When it rained, they would cover themselves with large banana leaves, although the greatest danger was falling into the river.
Neela Atamin, who teaches mathematics, literature and arts, said that the number of children attending schools from neighboring communities has now doubled. Powering schools For many years, Las Tunas School in Kabawi, an Achuar community a 30-minute flight from Wichime, had displays and computers, but no electricity to power them. The only way to supply power to most of these villages is through gasoline generators. But running a single generator for a few hours a day can cost up to $100 a month — an unaffordable luxury for families living on an average monthly income of $90.
Pastaza province, where Kabawi is located, is one of the poorest provinces in Ecuador, with more than 60% of its population living on less than $3 a day. But last year, a team of Ashwar technicians connected the school with solar panels donated by Kara Solar.
Satellite technology, which is also powered by solar energy, powers the Wi-Fi network. Students now do their homework on laptops and research other cultures around the world. People about to graduate are already using the new tools to learn how to promote tourism in their community. A solar economy For generations, young people have farmed the land, built huts, or left their village to find work outside the forest. Now solar panels open up other options.
At the Kabawi Solar Energy Centre, an open building overlooking the Pastaza River, 20 solar panels power dozens of outlets tied to bamboo poles. There, technicians can carry out their tasks and hold workshops on how to install panels. Solar energy also fuels ecotourism. Kapawi Ecolodge, a community-run hotel, features 64 solar panels that illuminate 10 rooms, the dining room and other hotel facilities 24 hours a day. Solar boats are very quiet and are ideal for trips. Because it does not scare dolphins or birds.
A Window to the World Besides houses and boats, the sun now powers mobile phones, providing residents with a portable window to the world. Web browsing has turned from a rare pleasure into a daily activity. While each charge used to cost money – not to mention the pollution generated by gasoline generators – Kabawye residents can now charge their phones for free. They can exchange text messages with family in other communities, or download tutorials to learn new skills. Life after dark Before solar energy, villages would turn pitch black after 6 p.m.
Breaking through the darkness was expensive and exhausting, as residents had to take boats with fuel, flashlights and batteries. Now, each of Charaminsa's 28 huts is lit with solar lights donated by Nea Tiro, another foreign non-profit working in the Amazon. Small white solar lights enable the village to carry on life activities for at least another four hours after sunset.
Flashlights now shine in common areas, such as the volleyball court, to avoid snake encounters, which were once common. Residents now cook together and eat later in the evening. They play music at their parties and dance to traditional Achuar songs.
Isabel Alarcón*
*A journalist from Ecuador specializing in environmental issues.
Published by special arrangement with the Washington Post Leasing and Syndication Service.
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