Wild & Natural Herbs
from the Amazon Rainforest

Sumak Allpa
A Place Without Pain

Join Us in Making A Difference!

Amazon Superfoods and friends have partnered with Hector Vargas to help with Project Sumak Allpa, in the Amazon region of the Rio Napo in Ecuador.  The island, about an hour by boat downriver from Coca, was purchased by Hector Vargas to begin a bio-reserve. Its first project was to begin a primate restoration involving seven species of endangered monkeys.  Last September, Hector added an elementary school for the children who live in the jungle, too far to go to the public school.

Professor Jorge and his students took turns examining a leaf under the microscope donated by William & Sandra Papke.

In September, Hector Vargas and Su Sigrist will go on tour to raise awareness and support for rainforest preservation.  These fun and educational events will include films, slide show, medicinal herb information, herb sampling, and Hector's talk on "Amazon: Beyond the Myth".  Come meet Hector and find out the different, interesting and exciting ways you can become part of these projects.  See the schedule and reservation form on the right.

This year we're raising funds to provide more opportunities for the children. Our projects include:

1.  School teacher's salary - $2,500 per year

2.  Buying a larger boat and motor to transport children - boat $5,000, new eco-friendly Johnson -Evinrude motor $5000. 3.  Text book for students based on life in the jungle, both in Spanish and Quichua - $6,000. 4.Providing a fresh water supply on the island. larger holding tank, well digging and pump motor:$3,000. (Currently, rain water is collected in a tank, and with all the children, the water runs out quickly and must be brought in from Coca. The plan is to dig a well and put a solar powered pump on it.)

Volunteers are needed to help with building and research on the island.  Volunteers are currently helping build a fishery which will provide food for local consumption.  Come to one of the September events, and you can decide if volunteering is right for you!

Longer term projects are being formulated which include a secondary school, and an agricultural project of planting trees for lumber and herb harvesting. It is hoped that we can raise the funds to purchase the land across the river from the island to put these two projects on. The agricultural projects will, in 5-7 years, begin providing income to make the schools and the surrounding community financially self-sufficient.

Hector teaching the students at Escuela Sumak Allpa

We are gathering tribal elders from eight different communities in October to record their oral histories. This information, plus other important rainforest lifestyle information, will be made into a text book in both Spanish and Quichua.

Here I am with the students, professor Jorge, and on my right, Hector.  The school uniforms were hand made and donated by Diane Zapack of Jupiter, FL, and the children were surprised and delighted with the gift.

Read about the mission and vision of Sumak Allpa by Hector Vargas here.

More about the on-going projects, volunteering on the island, and the partnership with Amazon Superfoods here.

Join us on tour - meet Hector and experience Amazon Herbs. here.

See more about Escuela Sumak Allpa, the school we are helping here.

More school pictures here.

Read more about Sumak Allpa here.