SERVICE LEARNING

While some Chilean native cultures, known as “pueblos originarios” (original people) have sustained their lands and cultural heritage in remote living areas in the mountains of Chile, others have had their lands reduced to small villages due to development and colonization. Struggling communities are working to protect their heritage and promote awareness through projects such as publishing newspapers, radio stations, organic farms, greenhouses, seed production, cultural ‘ferias’ and special holidays. Nevertheless, the villages face premature migration of their youth and need of support to help keep the projects running. They are also in need of advocacy for mediation for state grants offered those that are capable of defining implementing local needs projects.

The Service Learning program for Rural Development provides learning environments and service to communities that are in need of specialized human resources, new ideas and strategies or perhaps just an extra hand in their daily work with the organic farming. The Future School currently has three locations: The Aymara valley of Codpa and Camarones, the Tarapaca Highlands, and a Mapuche village in the southern Bio Bio region with protected millenary araucaria trees and organic farms. These locations are waiting for support that would allow them to connect with the world and develop their economies and production activities.