The Sápara ecotourism project, Naku was recently selected as a finalist in a competition held by Canopy Bridge for sustainability and innovation in Latin America.
Canopy Bridge is a sourcing network connecting businesses, producer associations and community groups buying and selling natural products that aim to contribute to improved livelihoods, social empowerment and healthy ecosystems.
Their contest, “Forest Economies: Supporting Indigenous communities and Sustainable Producers in Latin America” was conceived with the intention of discovering and recognizing sustainability efforts regardless of its focus, discipline, technique or sector, hence the requirements for entry were only that the initiative support tropical forest conservation and the improvement of livelihoods.
Naku was recognized for their work in rescuing traditional healing knowledge, long conserved within the Sápara indigenous culture, through a Sápara indigenous-run healing center for chronic illnesses.
Naku was also recently included in the list of the best 500 social and environmental projects in Latin America by Premios Latinoamérica Verde—the Latin America Green Awards. The award event was held on Guayaquil, Ecuador between August 23-25th. Naku was selected in the first 100 from 1,400 projects presented. In addition, a Green Financing Forum was held with the participat ion of national and international financial institutions. You can view the complete list here.
