International Year of Camelids

The United Nations Proclaimed 2024

The Year of the Camelid

By
Mike Safley

The United Nations declared 2024 the International Year of Camelids. “The Year will highlight how camelids are key to the livelihoods of millions of the world’s poorest households in over 90 countries, particularly Indigenous Peoples and local communities. From alpacas to Bactrian camels, dromedaries, guanacos, llamas, and vicuñas, camelids contribute to food security, nutrition and economic growth as well as holding a strong cultural and social significance for communities across the world.

Camelids play an important role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to the fight against hunger, the eradication of extreme poverty, the empowerment of women and the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. “United Nations Declaration.

Quechua Benefit was founded in 1996. The NGO has endeavored to be a sustainable organization and invest in sustainable projects since it’s inception long before the United nation announced their 17 SDG goals in 2015. The 3 goals in their mission statement are 1) Education, 2), Economic Empowerment and 3) Preventative Medicine. All these goals are accomplished in a sustainable fashion with Peruvian professionals, staff, and management.

There are only 2 paid employes in the United States and more than 35 permanent employees in Peru. The organization’s BOD is all volunteer, and pays 100% of the NGO’s overhead including management, marketing and fund-raising expenses. 100% of donor gifts go directly to sustainable projects in Peru.

The International Year of Camelids 2024 aims to build awareness of the untapped potential of camelids and to call for increased investment in the camelid sector.

Quechua Benefit is a registered NGO in both Peru and the United States, founded in 1996.

 All Quechua Benefit decisions are based upon the following values:

  • Help women and children recognize and achieve their full potential.
  • Be responsible stewards of resources.
  • Respect the Quechua people and their culture.
  • Collaborate with and listen to the voice of the people and their needs.
  • Strive for social justice.
  • Act with integrity, loyalty, and love.

Quechua Benefit is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in the remote highlands of southern Peru. They work with Quechua families to break the cycle of poverty through programs in:

EDUCATION

  • #4 Quality Education
  • #5 Gender Equality

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

  • #1 goal for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) is No Poverty: end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030.
  • GOAL 2: Zero Hunger.
  • goal #6: Clean Water and Sanitation (bonus, it enhances the carbon sequestration capacity of the area).
  • #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. This additional vicuña population will produce an additional $283 of annual income for each family in the community.
  • #8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.
  • #15: Life on Land.

 PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE

  • #3 Good Health and Well Being.

The United Nations created a global framework for their Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). These goals are meant to guide project development by corporations, governments, philanthropists, and nonprofits when designing projects around the globe.

The principal behind the SDG goals is that projects should align themselves with as many goals as possible to create a positive impact on people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership.

One of Quechua Benefit’s greatest strengths is the ability to deliver essential services over a vast geographic area directly to remote communities.

Quechua Benefits Education Initiatives

  • Our private boarding school K-6 is located in The Colca Valley high above Arequipa. Our school services at-risk children who live in remote communities who would otherwise not have access to school. We started with 40 students in 2009 and today, we have 80+ students enrolled in grades K-6.
  • Secondary School, education beyond the 6th grade is a privilege that many indigenous kids, especially girls, that identify as Quechua can achieve.
  • 90%+ of our students are the 1st generation in their families to attend secondary school! Our girls’ and boys’ homes in Arequipa provide living accommodations for 30+ students annually and access to resources while they attend secondary school.
  • In 2019, we proudly cheered on our first group of high school graduates when they received college acceptance letters.
  • Today, we have more than 20 of our alumni in college annually.

 Quechua Benefits Economic Empowerment Initiatives

  • 100% of the economic empowerment projects executed by Quechua Benefit are supported by the communities in the highlands financially, according to their ability, as our partners.
  • In 2019, Quechua Benefit was approached by the community leaders of Picotani inquiring about assistance with a water project which was to provide water for their population of the wild vicuña, an endangered species, during the dry season.
  • Water conservation is critical to the health of the planet. As plans went into development, we learned that the natural biodiversity that already existed at 15,000 feet above sea level was the key. Particularly from bofedales or “Andean peat bogs” that provide nourishment and water, to the exquisite vicuña in the highlands above 14,000 feet.
  • For Picotani, the water project that we built together with the community supports an additional 2,500 vicuñas, producing 1,250 pounds of fiber annually worth $225,000.
  • This means an additional $1,325 annually for each family in the community. All this was made possible by simply expanding the natural grazing pasture areas within the community borders by building a gravitational water supply system from a natural lagoon about 6 kilometers away. The bonus? The additional pastureland will provide the Earth with additional natural carbon sinks.
  • Now more than ever our economic empowerment programs help tie in environmental preservation and protection as well as wildlife conservation. Without preserving the existing environment, Peruvian highland communities would simply not exist.

 

Quechua Benefits Preventive Medicine Initiatives:

  • The third pillar of our program for breaking the cycle of poverty is our preventative medicine initiative, which focuses on delivering medicine that combats the second largest disease in the world: anemia.
  • In Peru, anemia affects over 50% all pregnant women and children under five years of age.
  • Anemia has a simple and cost-effective cure; 1) Diagnose and treat the root cause, intestinal parasites, and 2) Treat those afflicted with iron supplements.
  • Since 2016 our organization (along with our awesome volunteers) has tested and treated over 17,000 children across 38 communities for anemia, with a cure rate of 63%.
  • In the Caylloma District alone, our efforts have reduced anemia levels from 47% to 25% in 2 years.

Interested parties can contact Mike Safley, Founder of Quechua Benefit at mike@alpacas.com or 503.703.6020 and Dale Cantwell, Executive Director, Quechua Benefit at Dalecantwell@yahoo.com or 303.902.4503.

Video Collection For Year of the Camelid

October was a big month for Quechua Benefit’s feature length documentary, Vicuña Salvation. We participated in three premieres in Peru, each a little different than the other. But each audience loved it.

Dale with long time Quechua Benefit supporter (and photographer), Maria, at the Vicuña Salvation premiere in Picotani.

The audience at the premiere in Picotani.

This success would not have happened if you had not continued to support our organization during the COVID pandemic, keeping our programs strong during tough times, by virtue of your generous hearts. 

The first premiere took place in Picotani and the community did all of the leg work to make it big! They promoted the film, invited government officials, held a ceremonial chaccu, and gathered the press. To the amazement of the community, Derek Michell of Michell & CIA SA and his entire executive staff were there in support of their efforts, most of whom had never been to Picotani. We were interviewed by a Quechua radio station that broadcasts from Puno. Thank goodness for translators!

Everyone watched in awe and loved the film. Soft murmurs and chuckles were heard in the audience as they recognized various community members on the big screen. They laughed, they cried, they applauded to the very end. A woman from the community thanked Quechua Benefit for visiting every year. “I don’t know how you find us here. The government in Lima does not know where we live.” Another women once told me: “Say we are here, say we exist.” I think this film will not only put our communities on the map, but make their story heard for the first time. It will be available for streaming on National Geographic – South America, beginning March 2023. This is all possible, thanks to you and our wonderful community. 

Dale holding the water pipe that provides water 24 hours a day! From left to right: Dale, José, Felipe, and Guillermo.

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the reveal of the Water Project in Picotani.

In addition to the premiere, the community proudly took us on a tour of the completed first phase of our water project that provides water to vicuña during the dry season. The 14 lagoons and 28 individual drinkers built across 2,500 acres will be able to support an additional 1,250 vicuña. It has the potential to double the size of the existing herd that historically grazes the site and provides the Picotani community an estimated $75,000 of additional annual income in perpetuity.  

Proud is the best way to describe the energy felt during the ribbon cutting ceremony. This project was completed by community members, digging through the dry dirt and hand placing the miles and miles of pipe. This project would not have been possible without your generosity. Our Executive Director, Dale, worked closely with the community leaders to engineer the system. This water increases the pastures available for both vicuña and alpaca, which means more income for our alpaquero families. Thanks to your support, this is just phase one! 

Students and staff at La Molina University pictured with Mike and Dale.

The next premiere was held at La Molina University, the only agricultural university in Peru. We had the opportunity to visit their campus and meet all the department heads. Our guide was Dr. Gustavo Gutierrez, head of the animal science department. He joined us in Picotani to witness the first of its kind water project and wanted to discuss the potential research project to establish the carbon footprint of alpacas. This study could make alpaca fiber more valuable worldwide if we can, together, establish its true sustainability and quantify what we believe is a much lower carbon footprint than competing fibers on the market. 

Everyone at La Molina loved the film, especially the vet students. Many had no idea of the vicuña’s story of salvation from extinction. From the late 60s to present day, the vicuña population has increased from a mere 5,000 animals to approximately 500,000. During our visit, Dr. Gutierrez offered an open scholarship to their veterinary program for a potential Casa Chapi student who may be interested in the field of study.

The audience at the Arequipa premiere was full of alpaca industry movers and shakers.

A warm welcome to the Quechua Benefit team during the Arequipa premiere of Vicuña Salvation, hosted by Michell & CIA SA.

The last event was held in Arequipa, at the home of Michell’s founder, Frank Michell. Michell & CIA SA donated $50,000 to sponsor the making of our documentary. They put on a spectacular affair which coincided with the 90th anniversary of Michell & CIA SA.  

There were over 600 attendees, dressed to the nines, sipping cocktails and noshing on tiny tidbits. What fascinated me was the crowd’s response was similar to that of the audience from Picotani. They were unfamiliar with the story of the vicuña, the animal that is on their country’s coat of arms. This crowd represent Peru’s elite and many of them were alpaca textile executives. I’ll let the photos illustrate the wide gap between the culture of Arequipa and Picotani. 

“I received a phone call in 1995 from Grupo Inca’s Alonso Burgos inviting me to attend the historic Vicuña Chaccu, which ultimately became the turning point of the fight to save this endangered species from extinction. . .“

Read about the amazing conservation effort in Peru that is saving the endangered species in the December 2021 issue of Camelid Connections:

Learn about the journey from endangered to thriving in Vicuñas: Survival of the Finest by Mike Safley.

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY

The isolated life as a marginal farmer is the future for most Quechuan kids in rural Peru. With a long history of ethnic persecution and political conflict, solitary communities like the mountainous district of Lari, at 11,017 ft elevation, have been and will continue to be excluded from Peru’s economic growth.

Only 66% of 12-16 year old girls attend school in rural areas (Inter Press Study).

Born to two alpaca herders with four other children, a life of poverty is the reality for kids like Griset. Little did her parents know that the moment they enrolled Griset at Casa Chapi, she would be set on a different path, a brighter path.

Griset thrived at Casa Chapi. She enjoys volleyball, basketball, and gymnastics–activities she would not have had the opportunity to learn at home. Math is her favorite subject in school.

Thanks to years of support from our Quechua Benefit community, Griset has been provided the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. A proper education provided to anyone willing to learn, with the ambition to do better and break the norm, is the most powerful tool.

Throughout the pandemic, Griset persevered to keep up with her studies. She was grateful for the food her family received and the cellphone to stay in touch with her teachers. Like the other students, Griset was excited to return to Casa Chapi in Arequipa to continue school with her friends.

“To all the parents who are wondering if Casa Chapi will be a good fit for their kids/family situation – it’s a great opportunity for your children, and it will change their lives for the better. Have them dream and build their own path.”

Fast forward to present day . . . 

Griset graduated from Paola Frassinetti High School in Arequipa, Peru in December 2021. She hopes to attend university in March 2022 to pursue a degree in systems engineering.

Sometimes, the cards just seemed to be stacked against you. For Quechua people living in the Peruvian highlands, that is the reality. Many of them lead isolated lives at 13,000 ft above sea level as marginal farmers. Much of the rural adult population is illiterate, not having studied past primary school. This fragmented education is not by choice. Many kids join the workforce early to help their families financially.

Many of you are familiar with the name Maria Fernanda. If not, let me introduce you to this astounding young woman. Born in Caylloma, she is one of five kids in her family. Her single mother is an alpaca shepherdess who enrolled Maria Fernanda in Casa Chapi as a 3rd grader in 2013.

“When I was little, I was sad because I only went to school sometimes. My dad did not want me to study because I was a girl. [When I first started to study at Casa Chapi] I was afraid that my dad would come get me out or make trouble. But he died. When I found out I felt sorry for him, but I did not have that fear anymore.”

Maria Fernanda could easily have been another Quechua statistic who goes through life bearing the brunt of poverty in Peru. Thanks to the support of our donors like you over the years, we’ve been able to empower students like Maria Fernanda to break the cycle of poverty. From Casa Chapi to Paola Frassinetti High School, she has now graduated and plans to pursue a degree in Business Administration.

“Education in important to me because it’s the way we can change our lifestyle and be an example to our society. For all the kids currently at Casa Chapi, take advantage of this great opportunity. There is only one chance, don’t pass it up. Your future depends on it. Show that you are capable of change. Don’t fear success.”

Her true passion lies in her art. One of her drawings was commissioned to be printed onto a limited-edition luxurious shawl from Kuna by Alpaca Collections.

Maria Fernanda, we are very proud of you and cannot wait to hear about your studies at university.

If you ever get the chance to visit the district of Yanque, you may be entranced by the beauty of this authentic village. Pre-Inca ruins scattered throughout Uyo-Uyo Archaeological Park, off the beaten path day hikes that lead to breath taking viewpoints, it’s easy to get entranced at 11,210 ft above sea level.

Behind the mist of all this beauty lies of the history of Yanque. Much of the population is of indigenous Quechua decent. 56.28% of the population here state Quechua as their first language. In case you were curious, the Quechua language dates back to the Incan Empire. 

Quechua is an oral language so much of their history is passed down through traditional fiber handicrafts, spinning various fibers and weaving fabrics for both domestic use and foreign sales. Each community uses their own distinct patterns and anthropomorphic designs.

For Vidal and his family, they see a different Yanque. Vidal is one of six kids in his family. His father was the sole income earner in the family but suffered a traumatic accident and could no longer work. Vidal’s future would have been simple and traditional: drop out of school and start working to support the family financially. As this may seem like a noble route, this perpetuates the cycle of poverty for his family.

Instead, Vidal’s parents made the brave decision to send him to Casa Chapi several years ago.

Thanks to you, our generous Quechua Benefit community, he excelled in his studies during his senior year at Paola Frassinetti High School in Arequipa.

He graduated in December 2021 and hopes to attend university to major in culinary arts and nutrition and become a chef.

“To all the kids at Casa Chapi I would tell them to continue studying, make an effort and be dedicated in every activity they do. For me, education in important because it allows me to have development opportunities such a work and a higher quality of life.”

Vidal, we are so proud of your accomplishments and cannot wait to see what you will cook up in the future.

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