Jade Journeys LLC is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the fundraising campaign for the Universidad Intercultural Amawtay Wasi (UIAW) of Ecuador. Thanks to generous contributions from individuals from across the United States and Jade Journeys' own contributions, we were able to raise more than $4,000 for UIAW. This money will be used to help with the initial construction of a main building and classroom space at the Conocoto campus, outside of Quito. Many thanks to all of you who generously contributed to this campaign!
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Skye Stephenson, Jade Journeys' founder, was able to present this money to the Rector and the Governing Board of the Intercultural University Amawtay Wasi on April 27th, 2009. UIAW Rector Luis Fernando Sarango Macas and Skye Stephenson, Jade Journey's founder, at his office in the temporary administrative building for UIAW. |
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The Rector and members of the governing board of the UIAW with Skye Stephenson and Juli Hazelwood on the day of the donation. Juli was pivotal in the fundraising campaign. Thanks Juli! |
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Intercultural University Amawtay Wasi (UIAW) of Ecuador was developed by the United Indigenous Movement of Ecuador (CONAI) and began to offer classes in 2006. The mission of UIAW is to have a university that promotes a harmonious relationship between Pachamama (mother nature) and Runa (human beings), drawing upon Andean ancestral wisdom.
This university is open to all people, everywhere, but its primary audience is for the indigenous peoples of Ecuador. The fourteen nationalities and eighteen pueblos of Ecuador are all represented and welcome at this unique university. It is approved and accredited by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education, but it does not receive any budgeted public funding.
The university offers undergraduate courses in ancestral architecture, agro-ecology and intercultural education and is beginning a program in intercultural medicine. It also collaborates in offering a graduate certificate in intercultural education. It has two hundred undergraduate students. 90% of the students and 60% of the faculty is indigenous. The Intercultural Universidad Amawtay Wasi had been operating nearly five years but does not have a main campus or central administrative building. To now, they have been offering courses in indigenous communities around Ecuador. Last year, they received a donation of land to build a main campus in Conocoto, outside of Quito. And the Ecuadorian government promised money to build a main campus building if initial funding for taxes and preliminary studies was available from UIAW. The purpose of the Jade Journeys campaign was to help them gather together this preliminary funding. |
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This is a photograph of the proposed site where the Campus Center would be constructed. You can find out more about UIAW on their website www.amawtaywasi.edu.ec |
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CENTER PLANS
Click on the thumnails to see larger plans.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Even though the campaign has ended, it is still possible to contribute to the Intercultural University of Ecuador. They are still gathering funds to build additional classrooms on the main campus. If you would like to find out more about the university, you can contact either Skye Stephenson, at skye@jadejourneys.org, or directly contact the Intercultural University if you know Spanish or Quechua.