A few board members have just returned from Peru where we had the opportunity to speak to Jose Luis Herrera, our Board Chairman, about the emerging vision for ARI. He spoke elegantly about the challenges and resilience of the villagers of Maras, who must seek out a living under harsh conditions. Unlike some of the other villages in the Sacred Valley, in Maras there are severe shortages of water, jobs, and easy access to fresh food. The men must leave the village and work for several months at a time, separated from their families, to procure enough money to sustain their existence, while the women and children are left with only the barest of resources for improving their lot.

Like many villages in the world where food, water, jobs, and education are scarce, in Maras new ways are needed to revitalize the community as a whole – Chairman Herrera believes this is best accomplished through the power of practical education, and he is guiding ARI to become a leader in creating and implementing educational programs for the wellbeing of indigenous communities, beginning in Maras.

Already, ARI’s Weaving Program and children’s education programs are helping the people of Maras improve their lives socially and economically while preserving their culture. In offering practical education as a primary tool, we are empowering these extraordinary people to create their own sustainable ways of life, even in the face of their dwindling natural resources and recurring extremes in weather patterns. Maras is a perfect example of the effects such challenges can have on the coherence of communities and cultures. In Maras, we also see how the right kinds of educational assistance give people the creative knowledge and tools they need to overcome their challenges and thrive on the land they love.

Our current programs are already making a big positive difference in Maras, and we have many more programs on the drawing board! But in order to get them going, we first we need to complete construction of our Global Headquarters building in Maras. We have funds to begin construction but without the full infrastructure we can’t implement more programs!

Our funding goal is $200,000. 
We are well on our way with over $80,000 in gifts received to date.
Your donation toward our total goal of $200,000 will energize the manifestation of this beautiful dream. Please join in with your generous gift.

The vision for our full range of programs includes:

• Computer classes using ‘pi computers’ so that the children of Maras can develop basic communication skills needed in the modern world while they learn technological skills
• A pottery kiln and pottery classes to create another artisanal profession and income stream in the village
• Teaching programs in hygiene, cooking, and food production using green houses so the people of Maras can take charge of their health and nurturance, and acquire skills needed for creating a sustainable tourism program
• A sustainable tourism program, bringing tourists to Maras to learn about the beautiful traditions and history of these descendents of the Inca, and the importance of their bond to the land of their birth. Villagers will learn how to run family-owned hostels for the tourism program, and this will provide yet another stream of income in the community.
• Expansion of ARI’s current Arts and English Language classes for children and young adults, which afford the younger generation much needed expression and skill sets
• Expansion of ARI’s highly successful Women’s Weaving program, the first of our programs to create positive economic and social outcomes in Maras
• Expansion of our Volunteer Program, giving volunteers new guest quarters and the opportunity to learn Spanish in exchange for offering their skills to the children, teenagers and adults of Maras

With virtually no opportunity to relocate to areas more abundant in resources, the villagers of Maras remain committed to the land they inherited. They are beautiful people who despite their suffering carry themselves regally, the proud descendants of the Inca.

The people of Maras know that thriving community is vital to thriving life, and they are already creating great outcomes for themselves and their community through ARI’s programs. Please support us so we can do more for them, and together create new models for sustainable social and economic turn-around in other stressed areas of the world.

Gifts of any amount are appreciated, but we encourage you to donate at the $500, $1000, or $2500 level.