Soccer Uniforms and Sports Shoes for Sharamentsa –An International Community Engagement and Support P roject
Who are the Achuar?
• A remote
indigenous tribe
living in
harmony with
nature in many
scattered
communities far
removed from
the western
world in the
Southern
Ecuadorian
Amazon
Where do they live?
Proximity to Australia15,432 km
Ecuador
How remote?• The Achuar live In a rich and bio diverse region at the headwaters of the high Andes deep in the
Amazon very close to the Peruvian border
Dream Culture
• In Achuar culture,
dreams are a
guiding principle
of life, shared each
morning before
sunrise. Shamans
play an important
role in the spiritual
life of Achuar
communities,
including the
interpretation of
dreams.
The evolution of an ancient culture
• Even though the Achuar love their way of life and are fully dependant on the Amazon jungle for their existence, slowly the Achuar are embracing some western help that is seen by them as beneficial to their unique way of life.
How do you get to Achuar
communities?
Fly
Canoe
Walk
Warm welcoming communities
Arrival Community discussion
Young leaders assuming responsibility
Everything is important to the Achuar
Their Families Their Children
Everything is important to the Achuar
The environment Their mobility in the jungle
Everything is important to the Achuar
Construction of sustainable communities Sustainable waste
Everything is important to the Achuar
Partnership with the westAssistance with birthing and child mortality
Everything is important to the Achuar
Cultural Exchange Social activities
ExchangeOn my last visit as a part of a cultural exchange activity with the community, I presented the leader of Sharamentsa (Agustin, who is also the captain of their soccer team), with my own sports shirt as a gift.
After a community discussion with other leaders and members of the team Agustin made a request to me to help establish a set of uniforms for his team that was in my own sporting teams colours with co- branding.
I agreed.
I am now planning the best way forward with this project establishing fundraising platforms and gaining media exposure where possible.