ARCC Hosts First Youth Botanical Workshop in Archidona
ARCC recently led their first hands-on educational workshop with local children in the town of Archidona, Ecuador. These workshops are complimentary to ARCC’s Jambiyura project aimed at safeguarding the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of the Kichwa communities living in the headwaters of the Napo River basin.
Over the past month, in collaboration with our partners at Amazon River Keepers, we hosted a workshop designed to spark curiosity and pride in local plant biodiversity and traditional knowledge among the younger generation. Together with a group of enthusiastic local kids, we explored the fundamentals of plant biology—plant identification, evolution, and photosynthesis—through engaging lessons and interactive activities.
As globalization accelerates, many of these communities are seeing their ancestral plant knowledge—especially about the uses and significance of native plant biodiversity—fade with each generation. Jambiyura is our response to this crisis, a grassroots effort to preserve and pass on this deep-rooted wisdom.
One of the most memorable moments was a forest walk, where we practiced identifying native plant species by observing their key characteristics and sketching them in field journals. Later, each child picked a favorite spot by the Misahuallí River to sit, draw, and reflect. As they sketched, we talked about the native plants around them, sharing their names in the native Kichwa language and the stories and uses passed down through generations.
Workshops like these are small but vital steps in bridging the gap between elders and youth, helping to ensure that Traditional Ecological Knowledge doesn’t vanish, but thrives into the future.
Stay tuned for more from the Jambiyura project as we continue to connect people, plants, and traditions—one forest walk at a time.
Want to support? Click the button above to donate to ARCC or become a member—your support makes this work possible. Every contribution helps us protect the Amazon and uplift its communities, one initiative at a time. As we reach the one-year mark of active fieldwork, we’re at a pivotal moment where your generosity can directly help us expand our impact.
