Let's Talk

Campamento San Clemente

Vital Stats

Emma C

Ibarra

people helped100
People Doing It 25

The Problem

Indigenous voices have been repressed in the Andes since the arrival of the Spanish. In the rural Kichwa community of San Clemente, Ecuador, there is an inspiring community-wide effort taking place to reclaim their language and heritage. However, they still struggle to include their children and teenagers in this project.

Plan of Action

In the summer of 2011 some American fellowship-funded volunteers teamed up with local teenagers to begin Campamento San Clemente, a five-week day camp in which children celebrated their community through art, music, dance, games, language classes and field trips. In the interest of sustainability, leadership was gradually passed from the American volunteers into the hands of the community, and in the summer of 2013 the camp will be completely directed by the teen leaders, with the support of other community members.