Last November, we reported that one of our scholarship students, Radamel, left home and school to work in the cocaine fields of Peru. Faced with the need to provide more for himself and his family, he believed that stepping away from his education was necessary. The allure of money overshadowed the long-term benefits of schooling, so Radamel entered a life of long days of work under harsh conditions. For over six months, Radamel worked in the fields. He lost weight, had poor nutrition, and drank contaminated water, which led him to develop intestinal parasites.
His first visit home in October
This past Christmas, Radamel returned home to the village of La Libertad. During our conversations with him, he saw the value of returning to school and better food! We are thrilled to share Radamel's choice. He now spends more time helping with his family's cultivation and fishing while taking on more chores around the house.
February 2026, back in school!
Radamel's decision to prioritize education over immediate financial gain is inspiring, not just for him but also for his peers facing similar choices. It is a testament to the belief that education is a powerful tool that will give them more opportunities in life.
With a classmate during recess (and a toy gun)
We report on this story with happiness. In our line of work, we frequently recount tales of hardship and tragedy, making Radamel’s decision to return to school a breath of fresh air. It serves as a reminder that, even during difficult times, there exist stories of triumph.
Our team meeting at Tortas Malu to organize, pick up equipment, and eat delicious torta (cake)!
In the heart
of the Peruvian Amazon, along the banks of the Amazon River, lies the
indigenous village of Vista Alegre.Over
the past few months, our team has been working to build essential facilities
for volunteers, service providers, and tourists.(Money from tourism provides local employment
and helps our operations to become more self-sustaining.)This ambitious project includes building a
guesthouse, kitchen, and bathroom, all of which will support both community
development and education for indigenous youth.However, we've encountered both
struggles and successes.
The kitchen floor.
The
Construction Process
One of the
primary challenges we faced was sourcing and preparing the wood necessary for
our construction. The task wasn't
simple; we had to cut the timber, a task complicated by the chainsaw's failure. This breakdown not only delayed our progress
but also affected overall material procurement.
Additionally, transporting the timber required hauling it a significant
distance to our construction site, by a small wooden boat navigating the
winding waterways. Building the
structures with only hand tools presented another layer of difficulty. Despite our limited resources, our team
demonstrated remarkable perseverance.
Even more daunting was the fact that any additional building supplies
required a four-hour round trip—each time an exercise in patience and
endurance. The process was slow, but it
taught us resilience, teamwork, and the importance of detailed planning.
Framing the walls and roof.
At last, our new roof.
Our partners in Vista Alegre keep very good records.
Solar Power
Installation
Recognizing
the need for sustainable energy, we installed a 635-watt solar panel system,
complete with a charge controller and power inverter. We also brought over a 12-volt lithium-ion
battery repurposed from our previous project in La Libertad, which will help
with energy sustainability. However,
acquiring the solar panel and related supplies proved to be another logistical
challenge. A seven-hour round-trip to
fetch the solar equipment highlighted the intricacies of rural supply
logistics, most of which pointed to one surprising truth: for reliable,
high-quality materials, we found that Amazon.com was the most reliable way to
obtain what we needed. Their shipments
arrived in Leticia within three weeks, providing us with much-needed resources
for both the guesthouse and the kitchen.
We also wish to mention the helpfulness and patience of the Letician
business Energy Sun. They sold, helped
set up, and taught the villagers how to use and maintain the solar
installation.
Breakfast before work. Sometimes the villagers eat fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Meeting at Tortas Malu to pick up the supplies.
Roberto is checking the kitchen supplies.
Hooking up all of the solar system parts.
The cables will connect the panel to the charge controller.
Putting together the roof mount for the panel. It can be expanded to hold up to two additional panels.
Mounting the panel on Roberto's house. He is the caretaker for the project's buildings.
Brayan mounted the electronics in the new guesthouse.
The system is working and charging the battery!
As a backup, we rely on the village's power. Unfortunately, it is frequently out or experiences extreme voltage fluctuations.
Establishing Connectivity
In today's
digital age, reliable internet is crucial for education and economic
support.We installed Starlink's new
mini-satellite system to ensure the village could maintain connectivity for the
school and to promote employment and tourism opportunities.This development also plays a pivotal role in
emergencies.While the system functions
well, we continually face challenges with the village's intermittent electrical
supply—frequent power outages and spikes have pushed us to rely on our solar
installation more than ever.
A photo of the Starlink Mini. It is very "mini". We mounted it on Roberto's roof, next to the guesthouse. The new solar panel is pictured in the foreground.
The Starlink app. We are connected to the network.
The Next Steps
The chainsaw has been repaired. We have resupplies of food, fuel, and other necessities to restart work. Yesterday, February 18, we started to cut the last of the wood needed to finish the kitchen. After this, all of the major work will be finished.
Other tasks include:
placing a router so we can sell our extra internet bandwidth and share the monthly internet cost
finishing the painting
finishing the beds
building shelves, tables, and benches
building a pantry in the kitchen
tiling the shower floor
In June, our director will arrive in the village. He will be fine-tuning the solar installation, properly wiring the house and buildings with a dual electrical system of village power and solar power, and setting up a donated laptop for village use.
All of the wood used in construction is milled by a chainsaw.
Depending on the time of year, the wood must be carried for up to a mile, and sometimes more.
The boats are loaded with hundreds of pounds of lumber.
The boards are ready to finish the kitchen.
Community
Collaboration
This effort
culminated in two months of meticulous planning to coordinate our team and
supporters in Leticia, gather all necessary materials, teach the villagers how
to connect and use the solar system, and collaborate with our friends from
Tortas Malu, a local bakery. The
partnership has strengthened community bonds, allowing us to share resources
and knowledge effectively.
A video of the technician from Energy Sun teaching
the villagers how to install and operate the power system.
Acknowledgments
and Invitations
As we
reflect on this journey, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our
supporters and volunteers. Your
unwavering commitment, resources, and donations enable us to continue our
mission of empowering indigenous youth through education.
Mark your calendars—this April, we will
launch our 2026 scholarship campaign drive. This year, we hope to support at least 45 students from Vista Alegre, La Libertad, and Leticia.
We invite
everyone to join us this Sunday, February 22, for a livestream event on
Facebook and YouTube at 7 PM Eastern Time.
We'll dive deeper into our construction adventures, share personal
stories from our journey, and answer your questions. We hope to see you there!
Would you
like to join us in Vista Alegre? In
July, 2026, we will be putting the finishing touches on the volunteer and
tourism support buildings. You may come
anytime after this to Vista Alegre or to our sister village, La Libertad, in
Colombia, to volunteer with our programs or as a tourist.
Thank you
for being part of our journey as we build a resilient future for the villages of
Vista Alegre and La Libertad!
Have you made it this far in the post? Thank you for hanging in there! Please share this update with people you think may be interested. Once again, we are always looking for volunteers, both in and outside the Amazon, to help with social media, editing, recruitment, grant writing, and fundraising.
