Diarios de Motocicleta

Still working hard here every day at the office, but I’m enjoying it as it seems to me something worth doing. The downside is that most of the time I’m busy on my computer. But good news, in May I’ll finally be able to travel to the Putumayo River and visit our projects there. Going to the border area with Colombia will be quite an adventure as we’ll have to fly to the small city of El Estrecho with a floatplane and from there a little boat will bring us upstream to visit the various mestizo, Huitoto, Kichwa and Secoya communities. An important mission there is to join the General Assembly of MOK+A+, a rice project that was started near El Estrecho to bring an alternative for the illegal and damaging cultivation of coca. A new Board of Directors will be elected and we’ll be looking at some plans that can improve the independence of the communal enterprise. This to ensure the sustainability of the project and to make sure that in the future they’ll be able to function without support from vzw Putumayo.

This week we had some long meetings to discuss our work plans and to improve the efficiency of the organization. One plan for the near future is the sending of four young indigenous leaders to a school for leaders in Cusco in May. Here they will be educated in discussion tactics, press contacts etc. to strengthen the leadership of the indigenous organizations in the light of future challenges, especially concerning the threat of the petroleum exploitation in the area (cf. article last week). Both the Kichwa federation (FIKAPIR) and the Secoya organization (OISPE) of the Alto Putumayo will send two people and to promote the equality between men in women in the communities it will be two times a boy and girl. After receiving a training organized by CONACAMI, an organization mainly active with the indigenous peoples of the Andes region, they will also join a conference in the city of Puno.

Concerning my own experiences here I’m very happy to have been able to visit some more people in and around Iquitos at their homes, noticing once more the huge differences in living conditions here. Especially the recently arrived indigenous people who came to look for their fortune in the city have to live in a precarious situation. One girl who came from the Alto Putumayo because she urgently needed medical attention was able to get an operation thanks to a loan from vzw Putumayo. We’ve visited her at her uncle’s modest living place to see whether she has recovered well and apparently she is healthy again, but not really happy here, so hopefully she can get an opportunity soon to return to her home.

Later this week I also visited the home of a family that housed a Belgian girl last year that was here as an AFS student (many thanks to Michaël and his sister for bringing me in contact with them). They seemed very enthusiast to receive another Belgian at their house and especially the mother, who gives lessons at an indigenous community near Iquitos, can talk for hours while we’re sitting in the rocking chairs in front of the house. Luckily they live outside the busy city centre so it’s a fine opportunity to escape the noise. And also to make nice long rides with the mototaxi or on the back of a motorcycle (most family members have their own motorcycle and they’re always prepared to pick you up or bring you back, but I try to assure them it’s no problem for me going with the mototaxi). Immediately after my first visit on Friday they also invited me to come to dinner the next day, which off course I couldn’t refuse. Now I only have to learn to eat chicken with my hands so they wouldn’t be joking anymore about the crazy gringo trying to eat everything with knife and fork...

Chao!

Jero