Education
Natural Resources
Environmental education
Construction management
Teaching English
Aquaculture

Where: The Shipibo people live in the Ucayali region of the central Peruvian Amazon. There are approximately 120 Shipibo communities with a population of around 40,000 scattered throughout this remote region. This region is ecologically important as a biodiversity hot spot, home to millions of endemic species, and plays an essential role in climate and biogeochemistry systems such as water cycling and carbon sequestering (the region is a carbon sink that moderates global temperature and cleans the air).

Mission: Village Earth empowers communities to sustainably access and manage the resources needed to achieve their vision for the future by working directly with communities as allies, distributing appropriate technology information, as well as providing training, consultation and networking services to individuals, communities and organizations around the globe.

Village Earth Values:

1. We believe that communities must be empowered to access and manage the resources they need to be self-sufficient and sustainable.
2. We trust and value the ability of local communities to shape and create their own vision for the future, as well as the path to move toward it.
3. We believe that transparency and participatory decision-making is central to the goal of social justice and sustainability.
4. We believe that working toward ecological sustainability must be a priority for all societies to ensure peace and prosperity for all peoples.
5. We appreciate and respect the diversity and differences among our constituents and our collaborators.
   

Orgainization Website: www.villageearth.org

What kinds of projects could Village Earth and the Shipibo Nation offer a short term volunteer (up to 8 weeks in the summer 2009)?

Environmental conservation, outdoor education, or ecotourism – Participants will contribute to the physical construction of natural trails, buildings for nature centers, and signage in a wildlife refuge.

Natural resource management or wildlife management – Participants will do research doing transects in the reserve to record animal and plant species as well as research regarding individual species.

Ecotourism - research on the potentials and impacts of eco-tourism in the region.

Aquaculture – Assist in fish farming operations, business skills, fundraising, grant writing.

Teaching English as a Second Language, English, and Teaching – Teaching English to Shipibo youth and adults.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer or intern?
8 weeks.

What education/skills would you like volunteersto have for the projects listed above?  Volunteers should have should be 18 or older and possess a desire to learn about and live in another culture.  Spanish is a plus.  Language training in Spanish will be provided the first week of training and is available upon request thereafter. Some experience or education in one or more of the following: natural resources, wildlife biology, conservation biology, wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education, or teaching English.

It is most important to be highly motivated and enthusiastic because the work can be quite demanding. Candidates should be undergraduate or graduate college students, though “gap-year" students will be considered. Qualities required are: dependability for your service-learning assignment, adaptability, strong people-skills and a desire to have fun by serving and learning from new communities and environments through cross-cultural exchange.

Working Conditions:
In the village, volunteers should be prepared to have periods of no electricity and not to expect running water. However, clean water is available. It is very important for volunteers to be open to the culture and to realize that the people they work with in the village will have different ways of life and will not view things from a Western perspective. Listening is the greatest skill to have.