ORG by vio was created as an umbrella for promoting Amazon culture, protecting the rainforest and selling unique, high quality jewelry and fashion handmade by Amazon artisans. ORG works in partnership with artisans in the Amazon who come to them to sell their traditional artistry and develop designer collections made with rainforest materials as a source for a sustainable economy. They work with artisans in Perú and Ecuador and support them through trainings, bank account set up for their associations, equipment, design, technology, and sales.

 SATELLITE INSTALLATION PROJECT

ORG’s artisan partners are spearheading a project to install satellite internet to help their community’s sustainable future by creating an alternative to the sale of rainforest trees. ORG by vio has been working since 2011 with the talented Awajún women artisans that handcraft some of the beautiful jewelry and accessories that are carried on the online store, to help their families and community. The AMARNO artisans have partnered with ORG by vio, Groundwork Opportunities Organization, and Ecotribal to fundraise for the AMARNO Satnet Project.

You can check out a short video of the project HERE.

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS PROJECT

Donate directly to the AMARNO Satnet Project  and help these women get connected and  thrive. ORG by vio’s founder and designer, Violeta Villacorta, is supporting the artisans’ satellite internet project and contributions are tallied as they come through ORG by vio’s fundraising efforts.

Visit ORG by Vio to learn more about their work.

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MORE ABOUT AMARNO SATNET PROJECT from Violeta Villacorta

THE VISION

The AMARNO artisans are working to bring satellite Internet into their community in order to generate jobs, and establish a sustainable economy.

WHO WE ARE

The AMARNO artisans are an association of women artisans who have organized to take the lead in their community, striving to create a sustainable future on behalf of the local arts, schools, producers, and environmental groups. Instead of lumber, the AMARNO artisans community would rather make beautiful craft goods from seeds and plant fibers, so that they can afford to feed, educate, and care for their children who presently experience some of the highest rates of malnutrition in Peru.

The project is located in Amazonas, Peru (the Northeast region, which is situated on the border of Ecuador) to support the Aguaruna (Awajun) indigenous community of Urakuza in the Alto Marañon River valley. The Marañon River is one of the major headwaters of the Amazon, with the surrounding forest ranging from tropical lowland to pre-montane cloud forest, an area critically important for maintaining river and biodiversity quality locally as well as downstream in the lower Amazon valley.

AMARNO (Women’s Crafts Association for North East Region) is based in Urakusa – one of the largest of Awajun communities, which spans across almost 20,000 hectares of forest.

WHY

Over the last few years AMARNO has begun to sell small quantities of seed jewelry in Lima (at craft fairs and one shop) and overseas (traditional and designer items in USA and Europe). The aim of this project is to facilitate the development of the Association of Awajun Women Artisans by providing their association with adequate communications to distant contacts, buyers, market information and access to new markets. The satellite internet (satnet) system would also serve the wider community by offering better access of information to high school teachers and pupils, the elected community leaders, the health centre, and other representative organizations in the village such as Umukai (Bioclimatic Committee) and the Cacao Producers Association.

THE IMPACT

By offering the AMARNO artisans better access to the online marketplace, artisans will be able to greatly improve financially with their jewelry making enterprise. AMARNO jewelry is superb and of great quality, but the artisans live and work hundreds and thousands of miles from viable markets. They need a better way to sell their beautiful products and utilize their vocational skills. By leveraging the resources that come with having satellite internet, the women artisans can make a better living and subsequently lessen their environmental impact by not engaging in the commercial sale of rainforest trees to provide for their families, children and community in Urakuza.”

> How to create a Project.