Yachay Wasi, A Success Story

Yachay Wasi, an Indigenous Non-Governmental Organization based in New York, USA and in Cuzco, Peru, has consultative status with ECOSOC since 2001 and is associated with DPI since 1997. Yachay Wasi means “House of Learning” in Quechua, the language of the Indigenous peoples in Peru.

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7: Ensuring Environmental Sustainability
A Success Story....

RECOVERY OF THE CIRCUIT OF FOUR LAKES in the Peruvian Andes

An Environmental and Sustainable Development project of Yachay Wasi is finally underway after a matching grant by Rotary Foundation in USA was approved in December 2006.
Grant matches initial pledge by a district of Rotary International, Australia in 2005.The Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes is registered as a Partnership with the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

http://webapps01.un.org/dsd/partnerships/public/partnerships/1305.html

This Partnership in Sustainable Development is composed of major groups: Indigenous Peoples, NGOs and Local Communities.

Overview of the Circuit of Four LakesYachay Wasi, as the lead partner, manned an information desk in the Partnership Fair 2006 during CSD-14, the 14th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and in 2005, during CSD-13.

This environmental and educational project is geared to the recovery of the “Circuit of Four Lakes” located in the province of Acomayo, in the department of Cuzco, in the Andes of Peru. These lakes are Laguna Acopia near the village of Acopia – native village of Luis Delgado Hurtado, Co-founder and President of Yachay Wasi -, Lagunas Pampamarca and Asnacocha near the village of Mosoqllaqta, Laguna Pomacanchi near the village of Pomacanchi. These villages and many smaller communities located near these lakes rely on these waters. There are 36 Indigenous communities living near these lakes with a 2002 estimated population of 25,518 inhabitants. The lakes are located at an altitude of 3600 meters. The contamination of these lakes has been a growing problem over the past few years. The lakes waters are not used for drinking, but the fish, a daily staple from these lakes, can become a potential health hazard

A study was funded and conducted by Yachay Wasi in August 2004.Extent of contamination of the lakes and of the impact on the environment in the area was investigated. Seven Laboratory tests were performed on the waters of Lake Acopia (near banks and center of lake). During the fieldwork accomplished around the four lakes, coordination was realized with local mayors to establish prior and informed consent.

Luis Delgado Hurtado performs test in Laguna Acopia

Project has the goal to clean the lakes waters and banks of these four lakes of existing solid trash and to prevent further chemical contamination from modern detergents and pharmaceutical discards; to recover the biological diversity, flora and fauna representative of this important site; to educate and assist the communities on ways to prevent future contamination, which will include building better septic tanks and laundry facilities in some villages.

As a result of this Rotary Grant, the First phase of Project will start in March 2007: First phase consists of cleaning the waters and banks (over ground and underground) of Lake Pomacanchi, then Lake Acopia. Education of communities around these two lakes will take place while the work is being done. Acopia will be the first village where a new septic tank and laundry facilities will be built.Rotary Club del Cusco will manage the Rotary International Grant locally in cooperation with Yachay Wasi, Cusco which will implement the work. Additional fund raising will be done in order to proceed with subsequent phases of project.

Village of Acopia: women wash clothes with modern detergents in rivulet which discharges in Lake Acopia
Contact: yachaywasi@nyc.rr.com
Cuzco phone: 51 - 84 - 315815
NYC phone: 212-567-6447
President: Luis Delgado Hurtado, Cuzco
Main Rep. to UN: Marie-Danielle Samuel, NYC



Photos and details athttp://www.yachaywasi-ngo.org/lakesproject.htm

Y A C H A Y W A S I - A Not - for - P r o f i t C o r p o r a t i o n / N G O / U n i t e d N a t i o n s E C O S O C & DP I
708 West 192nd St. # 6B, New York, NY 10040 USA Tel: 212-567-6447 Fax: 917-529-0922 email: yachaywasi@nyc.rr.com
La Conquista, 3 puerta, Saphi - Cuzco, PERU Tel: 51 - 84 - 315815 www.yachaywasi-ngo.org

Contact: yachaywasi@nyc.rr.com
Cuzco phone: 51 - 84 - 315815
NYC phone: 212-567-6447
President: Luis Delgado Hurtado, Cuzco
Main Rep. to UN: Marie-Danielle Samuel, NYC