Empowering Indigenous Communities Worldwide
current PROJECTS
SASSAUMUN–GOWISEN YOUTH INITIATIVE
This initiative is a central focus of our current work, supporting a community-led model that strengthens food self-sufficiency, cultural continuity, and pathways toward financial autonomy. Led from within the community, the project engages Indigenous youth, elder women, and families in the development of sustainable agricultural practices, local resource management, and knowledge transmission rooted in the Law of Origin.
As of March 2025, food self-sufficiency has been successfully established, providing a stable and regenerative foundation for the community. This milestone has been achieved through the expansion of organic agriculture, supported by a locally implemented model of reciprocal exchange—shared and guided by the Managing Director of the Foundation—which enabled the community to access resources, knowledge, and collaboration without reliance on traditional funding structures.
The project is now advancing into a second phase focused on financial autonomy, supported through continued reciprocal systems of exchange and collaboration with local institutions. This includes partnerships with Colombian educational organizations offering training in organic agriculture, the implementation of a dual-model approach to education for younger generations, and the continued academic and leadership development of the community’s lead representative.
The initiative reflects a practical and evolving framework that integrates ancestral knowledge with modern tools and education. It is currently progressing toward a mature and replicable model, with projected consolidation by mid to late 2027.
SASSAUMUN–GOWISEN PROJECT
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The Sassaumun Community was established in 2018 in Cundinamarca, Colombia.
This Reservation is composed of a Wiwa community that originally came from the Kogui Malayo and Arhuaco Reservation in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
They established themselves initially in the Municipality of Fuqueme and in 2021 they moved to its current new property in the Municipality of Medina Cundinamarca, Los Alpes.
Upgrade; Agricultural Progress Update (2023–2025)
Sassaumun-Gowisen Youth Project
Wiwa Community of Los Alpes – Medina, Colombia
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A Living Process Rooted in the Land
Between 2023 and 2025, the Wiwa community of Los Alpes has been quietly and steadily strengthening its relationship with the land—moving from traditional subsistence practices toward a more structured and resilient agricultural system.
Rooted in ancestral knowledge and supported by selective technical training, this process reflects a living balance between tradition and adaptation—where the wisdom of the elders meets the tools of the modern world.
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What Has Been Built
• Cultivated approximately 1.5 hectares of land through local land-use agreements
• Strengthened production of staple crops such as cassava, plantain, banana, and traditional varieties like chonque
• Improved soil practices through the introduction of organic and liquid fertilizers
• Reduced dependency on externally purchased food, strengthening family-level food security
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Youth at the Center
One of the most meaningful transformations has been the active involvement of youth.
• Formal education
• Technical agricultural training
• Hands-on work with the land
Training has taken place directly within the community—allowing knowledge to be learned, practiced, and retained where it matters most.
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A Connected Support System
This process has been supported through a broader framework of facilitation and coordination led by Anna Gallman, Managing Director of Teyuna Foundation.
• Facilitating the evolution of community-led processes
• Bridging ancestral knowledge with technical and institutional systems
• Connecting the community with educational, legal, and governmental resources
• Supporting a holistic vision of health, integrating agriculture, nutrition, and environmental awareness
This work is guided by a principle of respect and non-imposition, ensuring that the community remains the primary holder of knowledge and decision-making.
Through this integrative approach, the conditions are being created for the community to move steadily toward a more resilient and self-sustaining future.
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What Remains to Be Strengthened
• Limited access to tools and agricultural equipment
• Dependence on borrowed or leased land
• Production still primarily focused on subsistence
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Looking Ahead
• Strengthen production capacity
• Improve access to infrastructure and tools
• Advance toward greater land stability
• Explore pathways toward economic sustainability
All while preserving the cultural, spiritual, and ecological principles that define the Wiwa relationship with the land.
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A Closing Reflection
This is not just agriculture—it is the rebuilding of relationship, knowledge, and future, rooted in the land.