The Asociación para la Conservación del Patrimonio de Cutivireni (ACPC) or the Association for the Conservation of Cutivireni Heritage has worked for more than twenty years to defend and conserve the natural and cultural heritage of indigenous populations of the Peruvian Amazon, particularly in the area of the Vilcabamba mountain range, through recognition of and respect for indigenous people’s culture, the strengthening of their management capacities, nature conservation, and the promotion of sustainable development. Capacity building and the promotion of equitable and inclusive relations are the main focus.

Their priorities include Management of the Territories and Protected Natural Areas; Promotion and Management of Productive Activities, and Social Development and Promotion. ACPC’s relationship with IWHC is framed in the area of Social Development and Promotion, in which they implement women’s promotion projects, organizational strengthening, sexual and reproductive health promotion and monitoring, as well as governance-related initiatives. IWHC has supported ACPC since 2002. 

“When people in Lima ask me where I work, I answer, ‘In an institution that works with the Asháninka people.’ They usually ask me again, ‘How are they? How do they live? How do they dress? What do they eat?’Although simple, these questions reflect the existing ignorance about indigenous people. That is why I’m grateful to the Cutivireni Association (ACPC) for giving me a space and the freedom to promote equality and the inclusion of the indigenous population. Most of all, though, I thank the Asháninka people for allowing me to become familiar with their world and vision of the universe.”—Daniel Villavicencio Yzaguirre, Coordinator of ACPC’s Social Development and Promotion Program

Projects

• Promotion of Asháninka Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (with IWHC support) – The aim of this project is to organize the community around the promotion of sexual and reproductive health, particularly women’s health.
• Technical and communicational capacity building with 10 Central Rainforest federations for support and direction of the management of the Territories and the resources of their affiliated communities (supported by USAID and implemented together with the Regional Association of Central Rainforest Indigenous Peoples (ARPI SC)) – This project trains young indigenous women and men so that they can technically guide the management of their organizations’ and communities’ natural resources. It promotes the use of the Internet among indigenous organizations. 

Impact

The project implemented together with ARPI SC has made it possible for ACPC to reach many communities to date:

• Strengthened organizations:    10 indigenous federations
• Trained leaders:    33 (at least 33% women)
• Trained facilitators:    20 (at least 50% women)
• Direct beneficiary communities:    5 native communities (approx. 250 families)
• Indirect beneficiary communities:    More than 100 (approx. 5,000 families)
  

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