OUR GOALS
Goals for various fields
24/7 renewable energy
At the moment not even all the villages/camps have a (properly working) generator in their possession or enough fuel (Palumeu hasn’t had fuel for over a year). Normally the government would take care of the generator and the fuel supply but the last 3 years the government failed to do so.
Due to the fact the Wayana cannot depend on the service and fuel supply from the Government, and the high costs involved that comes with these services and considering the latest developments of renewable energy itself, they would like to have solar energy and, if possible, combined with hydro energy. Renewable energy and energy autonomy If we want to support the development of livelihood the coming years, much more energy is needed. We’re aiming for 100% energy autonomy.
Food forest
The sustainable livelihood of forest or biodiversity dependent community can be measured as the following: SL=B x IK x EP Sustainable livelihoods = Biodiversity (natural capital) x Indigenous Knowledge (social capital) x enabling environment (both policies and marketing forces). A food forest, also called a forest garden, is a diverse planting of edible plants that attempts to mimic the ecosystems and patterns found in nature.
Food forests are three dimensional designs, with life extending in all directions – up, down, and out. intermediaries between the Trio and the Ndyuka along the Tapanahoni River. Despite their friendly relations with their Maroon neighbors, the Wayana keep a certain distance to them. Mixed marriages and mixed children are rare. Mixed Wayana-Maroon villages do not exist in Suriname, but Wayana do work and go to school in the Aluku village of Maripasula, French Guiana.
Generally, there are several layers of a forest garden. Using these layers, we can fit more plants in an area without causing failure due to competition. A food forest does not have to be re-planted year after year. Once it is established, it is generally very resilient.
Clean drinking water
Water is a fundamental human right. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 50 and 100 liters of water per person per day are needed, for drinking, cooking, personal and household hygiene. Contaminated water isn’t just dirty—it’s deadly… The United Nations considers universal access to clean water a basic human right, and an
essential step towards improving living standards worldwide.
The issues we encounter with sustainable energy also apply for drinking water, it’s often not clean or sufficient. In Palumeu we collect untreated surface water from the river.In the Camps they use water from a nearby creek, without any treatment. Due to the expansion of the (illegal) gold mining in the vicinity of the camps, the water quality is declining. Using water from the river or creeks without any treatment is not an option anymore. We need clean and sufficient drinking water for all villages and camps.
Land use management planning/system
Indigenous communities are dramatically impacted by the climate change — despite contributing the least to its causes. More involvement is required to recognize the unique impacts climate change has on them. The valuable and critical contributions of traditional knowledge and practices is a valuable aspect.
Land use management is the process of managing the use and development of land resources. Land resources are used for a variety of purposes which include agriculture, reforestation, water resource management, protecting spiritual and sacred places and eco-tourism projects. Within a Land use management system, we can put our (traditional) knowledge and practices to protect and preserve our territory. We protect what is ours, with our traditional knowledge!
Based on the newly created map of the Wayana territory we develop with the UNDP small grant, we can start with the community to create our land use management system.
Capacity building
Etakëlë meetings
Community waste management
The most important reason for proper waste management is to protect the environment for the health and safety of the Wayana. Bad waste management practices can also cause land and air pollution which can result in serious health issues in humans and animals. The traditional system and crops The farming system of Wayana is based on shifting cultivation with a high agricultural biodiversity. Many crops and multiple varieties of each crop are cultivated on a field, supporting both intra-specific and inter-specific diversity. This strategy of minimizing risk by cultivating a diversity of crops and varieties in space and time enhances harvest security and promotes diet diversity.
According to FAO, the agrarian system of the Wayana is to be considered as one of the Globally Important Ingenious Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), which are defined as: Remarkable Land Use Systems and landscapes which are rich in biological diversity evolving from the ingenious and dynamic adaptation of a community/population to its environment and the needs and aspirations for sustainable development.
The central crop of the farming system is cassava (Manihot esculenta). Complementary to the daily cassava, accompanied by bush meat and fish if available, some vegetables are sometimes added. 17 Waste management are the activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste, together with monitoring and regulation of the waste management process. One of the first steps is creating awareness about the risks of pollution and environmental damage.
The Wayana are used to organic waste, which automatically disintegrates. They are not aware of the consequences and the impact of plastic- and other non-organic waste on the environment and what the result will be, if they don’t dispose of the waste in the right way, because the Wayana are relatively new to plastic and other nonorganic materials. The second step is, to cooperate with the management of “Amazonia Park of Guyana” in French Guiana. Together we will find a solution to collect and transport the waste from Kawemhakan to Maripasoela, where they have enough capacity to dispose of the waste in a proper manner. In other villages and camps, we need specialized waste ovens to burn the waste without polluting the environment.
Employment; Sustainable Livehood
In our discussions with the Wayana population three livelihood possibilities stood out: Eco-tourism Eco- Tourism has become an important option for economic development and the cultural survival of Indigenous peoples. Although the sustainable livelihood framework does not clearly address the cultural part of life, the approach requires that activities, such as tourism, are placed in a broader context so that they can be examined from an indigenous perspective on sustainability. Vision development exercise in Kawemhakan Every Wayana village in Suriname has the potential of having an Ecoresort. But for every village there is a different perspective.
Onze projecten
This project will start in Q1 2020
Solar Energy
Q2, Q3 2020
Education: Dutch and English lessons
Education
Help Us Providing Palumeu Basics!
