💚 “Hands That Build, Hearts That Teach: Volunteers Transforming Lives in the Amazon”

Tutoring math

As we reflect on the past year at Amazon Pueblo, it's incredible to see how far we've come, fueled by the immense dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers. We have witnessed a record number of volunteers (from the USA, France, Germany, Switzerland, Colombia, Costa Rica, and other countries) stepping forward to lend their hands and hearts to the village of La Libertad, marking the most significant engagement in our 12-year history. Everyone has contributed not just time, but passion and hope for a brighter future.

Repairing the entrance to the kitchen

Arts and crafts are always loved

This past year, our volunteers took part in transformative projects that will have a lasting impact on the community. Together, we finished building a healthcare center, replaced rotted wood in our buildings, and rejuvenated spaces essential to the well-being of our volunteers and community. The vibrant colors we painted on the guesthouse, kitchen, and adjoining structures have breathed new life into our gathering places, making them warm and welcoming for everyone. 

Leveling the ground for the new picnic area

One of the highlights was the creation of an outdoor, covered picnic and gathering area that serves as a hub for connection and community spirit. And let’s not forget the invaluable tutoring sessions where our volunteers helped children improve their math and reading skills. The smiles, laughter, and progress of these young learners are testaments to the profound impact that education can have on lives.

Lunch in Leticia with three volunteers

The ride to the school of Macedonia

It’s important to note that these remarkable initiatives were funded by the commitment of our volunteers, who not only contributed their time but also financially supported our mission. The organization provided essential resources —including housing, water, tools, and logistical support — for our volunteers, ensuring that every moment spent in La Libertad was meaningful and worthwhile.

Painting the kitchen expansion

Many volunteers have shared how their time here reshaped their understanding of poverty and community. The experience often deepens values and instills a lasting commitment to service. It’s incredibly heartwarming to hear that many wish to return, continuing their connection with Gustavo, their host, and the projects that have touched their hearts.

Math tutoring round two

Arriving on the project's boat in Leticia

At Amazon Pueblo, we believe in the power of community, not only among our volunteers but also with the local people who join us in our efforts. Adults and children alike participate in these service activities, creating an environment of mutual learning and support.

Fixing the floor in our storage sheds

There is always work to do

As we look forward, we remain hopeful and inspired by the journey ahead. We are always seeking more volunteers eager to make a difference, as well as financial support to further enhance education and opportunities for the youth of La Libertad. Whether you can spare a few hours or are ready to dive into an extended commitment, your contribution can help us cultivate change.

The picnic meeting area gets a roof

Cutting boards is always needed and appreciated

The villagers lend a hand for the concrete floor of the meeting area

As we look forward, we remain hopeful and inspired by the journey ahead. We are always seeking more volunteers eager to make a difference, as well as financial support to further enhance education and opportunities for the youth of La Libertad. Whether you can spare a few hours or are ready to dive into an extended commitment, your contribution can help us cultivate change.

Doing paperwork

Installing a whiteboard for the school

Let’s keep the momentum going. Together, we can build a brighter tomorrow for La Libertad.  Additionally, this year, we are excited to expand into the Peruvian indigenous community of Vista Alegre!

The village kids are helping to carry our boat to the water

For more information on how you can get involved, visit our website at https://amazonpueblo.org/ or contact us at info@amazonpueblo.org. We can't wait to welcome you to our community!

Exciting Progress in La Libertad: 2025 Highlights from Amazon Pueblo

Hello, friends and supporters! We are thrilled to share some fantastic updates from our ongoing mission in La Libertad, Colombia. Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and the kindness of our supporters, 2025 has been a pivotal year for Amazon Pueblo, and we're excited for what's to come!

Working on the roof of the new outdoor picnic/community area

Solar Power Expansion: A Bright Future

In our efforts to support sustainable tourism and enhance the experience of our volunteers and guests, we have successfully expanded our solar power system. This year, we connected three 550-watt solar panels, dramatically increasing our capacity. Additionally, we made a significant upgrade by changing our system from 12 to 48 volts, allowing us to increase the size of our inverter. This upgrade means we can now supply continuous, 24-hour electricity—an essential feature for our guests and projects!

The newly upgraded solar power system

To boost connectivity, we integrated Starlink into our operations, ensuring that our work, education, and emergency communication stay robust, even in the jungle. We are also proud to share that the community has stepped up and taken responsibility for covering the monthly Starlink bill of about $100. This collaboration is an excellent example of local empowerment and commitment.

Our internet router for the barrio

Completing the Healthcare Center

Another exciting milestone this year was the completion of the healthcare center. We've made great strides in creating a welcoming and functional space. Our dedicated team has tiled the floors, plastered and painted the walls, and installed window screens to ensure comfort for all who visit. This healthcare center will be a vital resource for the community and will reflect our mission to enhance the quality of life in La Libertad.

Finishing the floor of the healthcare center

At last, the healthcare center is painted and finished!

Infrastructure Improvements

With the unwavering support of our volunteers, we've also undertaken repairs and expansions to our project's infrastructure. The repairs included replacing rotted wood in our buildings, expanding the kitchen, and installing a brand-new stove and oven. Plus, we've built a covered outdoor picnic area for guests, volunteers, and the villagers to relax and enjoy meals together. These improvements not only enhance our facilities but also foster the sense of community and connection we value.

Repairing the rot on the storage sheds

Repairing and expanding the kitchen.  We now have a dining area!

The floor of the picnic/community area is a concrete slab

A volunteer painting the fence of the picnic area

Looking Ahead 

As we celebrate these accomplishments, our work isn't stopping in La Libertad! We're excited to announce that we are expanding our efforts to the city of Leticia and the Peruvian village of Vista Alegre. Stay tuned for future blog posts where we'll dive deeper into these endeavors and share more news from this vibrant jungle region.

La Aljaba, the foundation we are partnering with in Letica

Roberto, our main contact person in the village of Vista Alegre

Thank you for your continued support. Together, we are making a difference, one step at a time!

A Monumental Collaboration: Building Hope and Transportation in La Libertad

At Amazon Pueblo, we believe in the power of community and the transformative impact of collaboration. We are thrilled to share a recent milestone in our partnership with the community of La Libertad in the Colombian Amazon. Together, we embarked on an ambitious project that speaks to the heart of our mission: enhancing livelihoods and fostering sustainable development through education.

With the support of our organization, we allocated $1,000 towards a project that would bring essential transportation to La Libertad. This funding was utilized not only to acquire necessary materials, such as nails, oil, and food, for the hardworking individuals involved but also to offset the costs of cutting and milling wood. The heart of this endeavor lay in the strong commitment and resourcefulness of the community, which provided the lumber from their own land.

 

The local carpenters, driven by passionate volunteers, transformed these resources into a remarkable 49-foot boat—an extraordinary collaboration that stands as a testament to our partnership. This vessel, capable of carrying over 50 people at a time, is not just a means of transportation; it represents hope, empowerment, and the spirit of teamwork between Amazon Pueblo and the people of La Libertad.

 For many in the community, this boat will be a lifeline, providing vital access to the city of Leticia. Whether it’s for purchasing supplies, accessing fresh food, or, most importantly, seeking life-saving medical care, the boat will serve the community for at least two years before it must be retired due to wear from the elements.

 

This project highlights how local resources, when combined with external support, can yield sustainable solutions that effectively address the community's needs. It is a testament to what can be achieved when organizations and residents come together with a shared vision.

Thank you for being a part of our mission at Amazon Pueblo. Together, we are creating lasting change and fostering hope in the heart of the Amazon!

 

For more updates on our initiatives and ways to support our mission, please don't hesitate to contact us at info@amazonpueblo.org.

Let’s continue building a brighter future together!

Directors Report, spring 2025: The good, the bad, and the ugly –and a new hope!

Welcome to the spring director's report!  A lot has been happening with the project.  We hope to bring everyone up to speed on the current developments.

THE GOOD

Health center nears completion

The health center is now ready for use after three years of work and a total investment of approximately $9,000. Future improvements include connecting it to La Libertad's electrical system (and eventually utilizing solar power), constructing a bathroom, replacing the wooden door with a metal one, and adding furniture, which is planned for later. It is a well-made building of concrete, metal, and tile. It is ready for community use.

We hope the community appreciates the health center and directs funds towards its continued development.  The most difficult parts of planning, transporting, and construction have been finished.

24-hour solar-powered energy and internet

The guesthouse, Gustavo's house, kitchen, and bathroom now have 24-hour electricity.  The electrical system, upgraded to 48 volts, includes three 550-watt solar panels, a 100 amp-hour lithium battery, and a 3,500-watt pure sine wave power inverter.  This system is resilient and low-maintenance.

While we had hoped to increase the number of solar panels to six and build a dedicated solar energy building, this will have to wait for the future.  This upgrade in the number of panels and the building will allow better security, heat management, structural stability, and dependable power during the heaviest times of the rainy season.

Our internet has been supplying a signal to the villagers for the past two years.  This service helps communication for work, school, family, and emergencies.  Three months ago, we upgraded our router.  The new router doubled the signal range, covering the 12 houses in our neighborhood and accommodating visitors.

Technical solutions to problems of internet usage

Unfortunately, with the free internet in the village came increased time on social media, games, and videos.  The village youth spent too much time on the internet and less on school and housework. With an upgraded router, this problem is solved until the gamer youth can get around it.  The router has settings that allow us to block social media, gaming, and video sites, which helps improve internet speeds for more essential uses and happier parents.

Massive repairs and upgrades to the volunteer/guest house, kitchen, and support buildings

As the water level rose starting last December, we were able to bring in supplies to make repairs on the project's buildings in La Libertad. Significant rot and insect damage resulted in holes in the floors and walls, weakened beams, and a general state of disrepair.

We expanded the kitchen, replaced numerous floorboards, walls, and supporting beams, repaired leaky roofs, installed new electrical outlets, switches, and light fixtures, replaced old water pipes, and applied much-needed fresh coats of paint.

15-meter wooden boat for community use

This year, we helped the community build a 15-meter wooden boat. We allocated $1,000 to purchase gasoline, oil, nails, other construction materials, and food for group volunteer meals, with the community providing the labor.

The boat's size allows passage of up to 40 people or 4 tons of cargo. In April, we used it to transport our largest shipment of construction materials.

Ten volunteers have been in the community over the past six months, and more are coming!

This year, 2025, has been our most active year of volunteers since the pandemic. We have had volunteers from the US, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. The volunteers assisted with construction, created crafts with the village children, and contributed to the village school. Volunteerism is a great way to engage people in the community and attract more individuals to La Libertad.

THE BAD

Price increases in materials and labor

Inflation has been significantly higher in the Amazon region than in other parts of Colombia and higher than in the US, making budgeting difficult. This is the main reason we increased the scholarship program to $140 per year per student.

Low water and transportation difficulties

This year, the Amazon's water level was the lowest in recorded history, 122 years. Until the river started to rise in December (the level fell rapidly beginning in June), we had to walk over two kilometers from the river's edge to our buildings in the village.  Transportation of people and materials was more expensive, took longer, and was physically challenging.  Last year was the second lowest in recorded history.

The low water also causes hardship to the village. Without rain, the villagers have no potable water. They also lack access to clean water for bathing, washing clothing, and washing dishes.

Climate science predicts worsening drought in the Amazon in the coming years.

Time and administration challenges

It has been challenging to manage the administration of the scholarship program, volunteer support, logistics, construction supervision, and technical installations this year.

Removal of funding from USAID in our Amazonian region

USAID has had $35 million in aid stopped in the Colombian Amazon.  While we do not directly receive money from USAID, it will affect our area, and agencies are predicting a decrease in sustainable business, increased destruction of rainforest land, and an increase in illegal narcotics operations.

Drug dealers in the village

A family of drug dealers moved into La Libertad two years ago.  They are selling cocaine to the village youth and some adults. The increased drug availability has been instrumental in an increase in violence and theft in the village.  On a community level, the villagers want these people to leave the community.  They refuse to leave.  The dealers are armed.  They have threatened to kill the village chief if he tries to force them out.

THE UGLY

Corruption and mismanagement in the village

(There has been some question among the board members and volunteers of Amazon Pueblo as to whether it is prudent to send information to our supporters about the serious problems the village experiences.  In keeping with our value of transparency, we believe it is best to publicize the truth about what we are dealing with, rather than give only the "good news."  There is a reason we are helping La Libertad.  The villagers have endured years of exploitation, neglect, and mismanagement.  We are trying to help them find a way out of these destructive patterns.  This is not fast or easy.)

The village chief is an elected official. He is competent but also unable or unwilling to save receipts, has poor accounting practices, and is not fiscally responsible.  He has demonstrated vindictiveness and seems to maintain power through intimidation and deception.

Some of the issues with the chief:

Allegedly given permission to large-scale narcotics producers to enter and live in the community.

Practiced extortion on the villagers, evidenced by the people we employ to cut wood for construction projects.

Is unable or unwilling to give accurate proof of large amounts of money directly donated to the community by the tourism industry.

Requested loans from our project in the community's name without the community's authorization or knowledge.

Accused Amazon Pueblo, without providing proof, of collecting money in the village's name and using it personally.

This behavior directly contradicts Amazon Pueblo's written values, which align with our mission and vision.

OUR VALUES

In pursuit of our mission and vision, we adhere to the principles of transparency, adaptability, perseverance, respect, and a commitment to serving others.

Our donation records and how we allocate funds are transparent.  We have receipts and documentation of the accounting.  We have shown them to the village chief and other members of the community; however, he still claims that we are hiding money and stealing from the scholarship funds.

We should not compromise our values by giving in to the corrupt practices of La Libertad's current leadership.  We hope that, over time, the village will reject corruption through education and by modeling positive behaviors.

A NEW HOPE

Continuing the scholarship program

The last time we had problems with La Libertad's leadership, we designed the scholarship program to be independent of the village's governance. We can meet with the parents and children in Leticia to do all the school shopping.

Continuing our partnership with Gustavo

Once again, the last time we had problems with the village chief, we transferred the ownership of our buildings and equipment to Gustavo.  We did this again to prevent the chief from attempting to take our supplies or building materials and keep them for himself, his friends, or family, or to sell them.

We can continue to support Gustavo with a website, internet, volunteers, tourism, and technical support.  Gustavo has an independent, licensed tourism business in La Libertad.  He also has the protection of the law for his belongings, family, and business.

A partnership with the Colombian foundation La Aljaba

After we discussed the current problems of the management of La Libertad a friend of the project from Leticia suggested a new collaboration for us: the La Aljaba foundation in Leticia.

The last time we officially left the village in 2017, we collaborated with a nonprofit foundation in Leticia, Funmiroca. We worked with them for four years until the pandemic forced them to relocate to another part of Colombia. They helped us administer the scholarship program. I remain friends with their director, Freddy. A new partnership with La Aljaba may help us fulfill our project's mission and address some other challenging areas of our program.

New possibilities to work with the Peruvian village of Vista Alegre

Vista Alegre is a small Peruvian river community located about 45 minutes upriver from La Libertad.    We have one scholarship student in the community.  When the student’s parents learned that we were leaving La Libertad, they told their community, which was very interested in a partnership between the village and us.

Points to consider:

1) Their leadership requested to work with us without our asking.

2) They do not have the drug and alcohol problems of La Libertad.

3) They have a three-person separation of powers and a balance of power in the administration of their village government.

4) We can set clear, written expectations and limits when working with the community.

Things like:

• A limit to the number of scholarships
• A procedure for the community to determine who receives the scholarships
• A set amount of annual aid to be used or saved for a larger development project, like a health care center, solar power, or satellite internet
• No loans are to be requested or made by the community from the project
• No loans to be asked for by any community members to the project or project volunteers
• A clear understanding of what happens to all the assets of the project upon dissolution or leaving the village
• An approval process for all construction work that supports the project in the village

Final Thoughts

With the new partnership we hope to establish with La Aljaba and Vista Alegre, and our reliable internet connection in La Libertad, we no longer need to have a permanent presence in the Colombian Amazon, with yearly or biyearly visits being adequate.  We believe the changes in the project and with La Libertad is good. Our partnership with La Aljaba will be a needed strength. 

La Libertad must be given time to overcome its corruption problems. We can help, slowly, through the scholarship program and by supporting Gustavo and his volunteer program. If they do improve and request that we return, we can, but with a written set of expectations, such as those we hope we will implement with the community of Vista Alegre.

Thank you to all of our friends, volunteers, and supporters!  Without you, our work would not be possible.