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Protecting the Amazon & Culture thru Design

Visit www.orgbyvio.com for fine Amazon Eco Fashion by talented women artisans & Save the Amazon One Seeds at a Time @ http://igg.me/p/225144?a=668942

Protecting the Amazon & Culture thru Design

Visit www.orgbyvio.com for fine Amazon Eco Fashion by talented women artisans & Save the Amazon One Seeds at a Time @ http://igg.me/p/225144?a=668942

2 Campaigns |

Amazon Rainforest

$3,296 USD 58 backers

16% of $20,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Story

FAQ

Updates 13

Comments 38

Highlights

2 Projects 2 Projects

A Design Project by Violeta Villacorta

We have created a Follow-up Campaign to continue raising the funds needed to achieve our mission successfully.

We invite you to visit www.indiegogo.com/Saving-the-Amazon-1-Seed-at-a-time to Contribute and share the link through your resources.

Thank you!

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Thanks again to all who contributed! Although we didn't reach our goal, the money we raised will help our work:

~ In purchasing and shipping the gifts you selected.

~ Continue internet communication for the Cofán through the rest of the year, which saves them from traveling to the nearest city and allows them to continue their business without delays.

~ Purchase a computer, camera and eyeglasses for the Awajún artisans.

~ and hopefully it will go a longer way...

For all who have messaged that you would still like to contribute, you can make a tax-deductible contribution by visiting http://orgbyvio.com/donate for details or visit https://amazonwatch.org/donate, in Additional Comments write “VIOLETA’S AMAZON PROJECT” and send me a message to track your contribution.

Amazon Watch acts as an umbrella for our work and collects funds on our behalf for our ongoing projects with indigenous Amazon artisans and communities.

Visit our online shop @ http://orgbyvio.com to purchase fine eco jewelry and fashion from the talented Amazon artisans we work with!

You can also invest in our sustainable Amazon eco fashion vision, as a means to generate a sustainable economy for the stewards of the forests, the protection of their culture and territories vital to our own survival.

For the Love of People, Planet & Culture.

Thank you all!

Much Love & Light ♥

We work on creative design projects in collaboration with indigenous communities in the Amazon to promote their ancestral artistry, incorporating their traditional work into contemporary designs, as a means to generate a sustainable economy for the stewards of the most biodiverse ecosystem.

This is a great opportunity for you to support our work in the Amazon, pick up some beautiful rewards from the artisans we work with, and be a part of our project to protect the rainforest and the rich cultures and people that inhabit the Amazon through design!

WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

We are still in the growing stages of our work and we want you to be a part of it!

Indigenous peoples working with us are looking for alternatives to extractive industries, as the world benefits best from the rainforest - the lungs and climate regulator of our planet - by leaving it standing and its cultures having the choice to remain as stewards of the forests.

A viable venue for their work helps the artisans cultivate and pass down their artistry to the youth, which encourages them to stay in their communities.

To supply artisans with laptops, internet service and printers, drilling tools, camera & eyeglasses. The Awajún lost their communitations tower to heavy weather a few years ago and we plan to replace it, so they don't have to travel by boat or car for many hours to the nearest town for basic communication for their community needs and the needs of the artisans.

To purchase larger amounts of production units from the current artisans we work with and the new communities waiting to work with us.

Trade shows are costly and we need to participate in important shows to place the artisans' work in the right stores.

To optimize ORGbyvio.com's online presence and ensure our online store sells directly to customers globally.

To reach more people around the globe with beautiful eco fashion from the Amazon rainforest handmade by talented indigenous artisans and ensure a sustainable economy for the stewards of the forests.

HOW MUCH IS NEEDED?

We have set our goal to $20,000 for this phase of our work outlined above. However, the total amount needed to accomplish our ongoing work is upward of $100,000. Your contribution will help achieve this larger goal.

When you contribute, note that part of it will be used to pay for and ship your selected reward. Also, Indiegogo gets 4% of total money raised, if we reach our goal and 9% if we don't, and a payment processing fee of 2-3% will be charged.

WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Aside from playing a big part in our project, you pick up beautiful rewards, if you select that option when you contribute. There are a number of levels of support. Any amount contributed is helpful in meeting our goal. We are grateful for all your love and support!

All Rewards are listed on the right and photos are included below, so scroll down to see all your options! Everyone who contributes from $10 and up will be listed as a supporter and funder on our website, and you will be included in our supporters album with a photo you submit, unless you choose otherwise.

See the beautiful items you will receive for your contribution below or in the Gallery tab above under images.

Asociación Sukû Artisans of Cofán Dureno, Ecuadorian Amazon.

In 2010, I began working with Cofán community artisans of Asociación Sukû in the Ecuadorian Amazon to share traditional Cofán artistry and culture and act as a bridge between the artisans, their artistry and markets. Asociacón Sukû is an organization made up of over 40 highly talented women artisans, whose mission is to contribute and improve social, economic and cultural development of their members and the community, strengthening their cultural and spiritual identity through projects in agriculture, forestry, arts and crafts, and protection of the rainforest. This initial work with Cofán artisans evolved into the brand ORG by vio®.

ORG stands for Organic Rainforest Goods and spells GRO backwards; by vio is an acronym for Violeta and Indigenous Organizations. ORG by vio® was created as an umbrella for promoting Amazon culture, protection of the rainforest and selling handmade jewelry and accessories made by indigenous Amazon artisans. We work in partnership with artisans in the Amazon to share their traditional artistry and develop designer collections of eco fashion made with rainforest materials as a source for a sustainable economy. It is an honor to work with such prolific artisans who are inspired to share their work and culture with the world.

Our work includes: trainings; purchasing artisans' traditional crafts and collections we co-develop together up front; buying materials and production tools for the artisans; supplying them with laptops and internet to communicate, so they can receive their product orders via email and place Skype calls, as well as to utilize these tools to share their culture and events directly via the internet; paying for artisans' expenses when attending exhibits and fairs; helping the artisans open bank accounts for their associations, which facilitate their financial transactions; et cetera. In addition ORG by vio® shares 50% of profits with artisans and/or their communities through projects that enhance their livelihood while maintaining their cultural identity. Visit orgbyvio.com/projects to learn more.

Although, the preceding states what ORG by vio® does, NOTE further down what the funds will be used for in this particular phase of our work.

Deep in Forests network, Perú.

In 2011 I became a member of the Deep in Forests network in Perú. Deep in Forests is a partnership of indigenous leaders and entrepreneurs working together to create sustainable solutions for the protection of the rainforest and cultures that have been stewards of the Amazon for centuries. Deep in Forests connected me with other Amazon community members and thus I began working with Awajún artisans in the Peruvian rainforest in mid 2011. The Awajún Artisans' Women’s Association of the Nor-Orient Awajún Region (AMRNA) is made up of over 50 highly talented women artisans dedicated to their arts and culture.

Awajún Artisans' Women’s Association of the Nor-Orient Awajún Region (AMRNA) in Urakusa, Peruvian Amazon.

Most indigenous Amazon communities like the Awajún, although they are a contacted people, live in remote areas where they get no visitors and are unable to sell their beautiful work. ORG by vio® is committed to the artisans in bringing their work to the rest of the world.

Click left photo to see Asociación Sukû Collection on YouTube & on right photo to see Awajún Collection on YouTube or watch in Gallery tab above.

As we continue our work with Asociación Sukû in Ecuador and Awajún artisans in Perú, other Amazon communities have contacted us to work with them. This has taken ORG by vio® to a new level and we need your support to make this happen. To do our work with more needed funds and continue our current collaboration with extisting communities while gradually and systematically adding new communities.

REWARDS

Four Amazon Rainforest Wallpapers for your iPhone $10+

For $15 or more, you receive 4 Wallpapers for your iPhone featuring beautiful nature images from the Amazon rainforest. For $10 or more, you receive 4 Wallpapers for your iPhone featuring beautiful nature images from the Amazon rainforest.

Cofán or Awajún Unisex Bracelet $25+

For $30 or more, you receive a Cofán or Awajún Unisex Bracelet handmade with rainforest seeds by Asociación Sukû artisans from the Ecuadorian Amazon or Awajún Artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

For $25 or more, you receive a Cofán or Awajún Unisex Bracelet handmade with rainforest seeds by Asociación Sukû artisans from the Ecuadorian Amazon or Awajún Artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

Awajún Beaded Necklace $50+

For $60 or more, you receive an Awajún Beaded Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon. The red and black colors of the huayruro seed symbolize good fortune and abundance, as well as balance.

For $50 or more, you receive an Awajún Beaded Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon. The red and black colors of the huayruro seed symbolize good fortune and abundance, as well as balance.

Cofán Beaded Necklace $75+

For $75 or more, you receive a gorgeous Cofán Beaded Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Asociación Sukû artisans from the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Cofán Kango Triple Beaded Necklace $75+

For $150 or more, you receive a Cofán Kango Triple Row Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Asociación Sukû artisans from the Ecuadorian Amazon.

For $75 or more, you receive a gorgeous Cofán Beaded Necklace or a Cofán Kango Triple Beaded Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Asociación Sukû artisans from the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Amazon Shoulder Bag $100+

For $95 or more, you receive a gorgeous Cofán Shigra Bag handmade with chambira plant fiber and dyed with plant dyes by Asociación Sukû artisans from the Ecuadorian Rainforest.

For $100 or more, you receive a gorgeous Cofán Shigra Bag handmade with chambira plant fiber and dyed with plant dyes by Asociación Sukû artisans from the Ecuadorian Rainforest...
OR a Unisex Awajún Wanpash Bag

For $100 or more, you receive a Unisex Awajún Wanpash Bag handmade by Awajún artisans in the Peruvian Rainforest. Chambira plant fiber is hand stripped and rolled into twine, then woven into this beautiful bag. Colors are achieved with plant dyes.

Handmade by Awajún artisans in the Peruvian Rainforest. Chambira plant fiber is hand stripped and rolled into twine, then woven into this beautiful bag. Colors are achieved with plant dyes. See Ashaninka Shoulder Bag below from our Deep in Forests partner Ecotribal for a third option. Each bag is unique, you will receive one similar to photos.

Awajún Beaded Chichao Necklace $125+

For $90 or more, you receive an exquisite Awajún Chichao Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

OR an Awajún Beaded Woven Necklace $125+

For $125 or more, you receive a gorgeous Awajún Woven Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

For $125 or more, you receive a gorgeous Awajún Woven Necklace or an exquisite Awajún Chichao Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

Awajún Etsa or Enkepa Beaded Necklace $175+

For $205 or more, you receive a stunning Awajún Etsa Beaded Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon. Etsa means Sun in Awajún.

For $175 or more, you receive a stunning Awajún Etsa Beaded Necklace handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon. Etsa means Sun in Awajún...
Or Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Black Seeds

For $250 or more, you receive an amazing Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Black handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

A striking Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Black handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon...
Or Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Natural & Black Seeds

For $250 or more, you receive a gorgeous Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Black & Natural handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

Gorgeous Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Black & Natural handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon...
Or Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Saffron Seeds

For $250 or more, you receive a gorgeous Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Saffron handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon.

Gorgeous Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Saffron handmade with rainforest seeds by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian Amazon...
Or Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Multicolor Beads

For $250 or more, you receive an amazing Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Multicolor handmade with color beads by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian rainforest.

Awajún Enkepa Necklace in Multicolor handmade with color beads by Awajún artisans from the Peruvian rainforest.

Cofán Hammock $300+

For $425 or more, you receive a beautiful Cofán Hammock handmade by Cofán artisans from the Ecuadorian rainforest. Chambira fiber is hand picked, dried, stripped and rolled into twine. Colors are dyed with plant colors.

For $300 or more, you receive a beautiful Cofán Hammock handmade by Cofán artisans from the Ecuadorian rainforest. Chambira fiber is hand picked, dried, stripped and rolled into twine. Colors are dyed with plant colors. It takes over one month by a talented artisan to create the beautiful intricacy of the Cofan Hammock.
10 Available.

SK1 Knife Sage Blades $650+

For $700 or more, you receive this beautiful SK1 Knife by Sage Blades, the perfect bush tool for the jungle or camping. Handcrafted with O1 Tool Steel in a micro-peened finish and a leather-cord handle-wrap with a kydex sheath.

For $650 or more, you receive this beautiful SK1 Knife by Sage Blades, the perfect bush tool for the jungle or camping. Handcrafted with O1 Tool Steel in a micro-peened finish and a leather-cord handle-wrap with a kydex sheath.
10 Available.

Sage Blades is the product of knife designer and maker Dylan Farnham, whose attention to detail, function and beauty combine to make the perfect cutting tools that can be passed from generation to generation. All Sage Blades knives and tools come with a lifetime warranty.

Sage Blades has been invited by the men in the Awajún community of Urakusa in the Peruvian Amazon, to give a workshop and teach them how to make their own knives from found metal, which ORG by vio® will sponsor. www.sageblades.com.

Rewards from our Deep in Forests partners

Yanesha Bowl PaTS $245+

For $210 or more, you receive a Yanesha Bowl made with wood from managed forests by Yanesha artisans from the Peruvian rainforest, from PaTS.

For $245 or more, you receive a Yanesha Bowl. 25 Available.
Or...

For $270 or more, you receive a Large Yanesha Bowl with Handles made with wood from managed forests by Yanesha artisans from the Peruvian rainforest, from PaTS.

A Yanesha Bowl with Handles hand carved with wood from managed forests by Yanesha artisans from the Peruvian rainforest, from PaTS. 25 Available.

PaTS stands for Partnership and Technology for Sustainability. "PATS means EARTH in the YANESHA dialect. PaTS has twelve years working in the Palcazu Valley, in the Central Peruvian Amazon, with the Yanesha ethnic group as partners, in five Native Communities along this exquisitely beautiful lush valley.

PaTS program increases the value of one tree, from US$30 to $1,800 of economic sustenance for the forest inhabitants. This allows them not to have to harvest many trees to live sustainably, and allows for their forests to be managed easily. Only two trees per hectare were harvested, on average, last year, 2011.

Artisans are able to work in their own home. We aim to keep them employed only three weeks a month, so they may also tend their farms and live their family lives. PATS is a Peruvian non-profit organization still receiving financial sponsorship from foundations until sales reach a Sustainability break even volume, forecasted to be reached by the end of 2013. www.patsperu.org

Click on photo to watch PaTS video on YouTube or watch in the Gallery tab above.

Traditional Ashaninka Cushma Robe Ecotribal $350+

For $350+ you receive this traditional Ashaninka cotton robe, or cushma, woven by Ashaninka women for the men of their tribe. The organic cotton is grown in small forest gardens within the Peruvian Amazon rainforest.

Dyed with plant dyes, Cushmas are an Ashaninka's most prized possession and there is a very long tradition of giving and exchanging cushmas and cloth with nyomparis (or trading partners), which linked distant Ashaninka villages into cycles of meetings, collaboration and resource sharing. Each Cushma is unique. Yours will be similar to the one pictured above.
5 Available.

Ashaninka Shoulder Bag Ecotribal $100

For $110 or more, you receive an Ashaninka Shoulder Bag from Ecotribal. Made from organic cotton fibers and natural plant dyes in a white, brown and black striped pattern with single strap. Each bag is unique. Yours will be similar to the one above.

For $100 or more, you receive an Ashaninka Shoulder Bag from Ecotribal. Made from organic cotton fibers and natural plant dyes in a white, brown and black striped pattern with single strap. Each bag is unique. Yours will be similar to the one above.
10 Available.

Ecotribal's basic mission is to collaborate with indigenous peoples in a way that provides them with an income from sustainable products that support their culture and autonomy as well as territorial and environmental integrity.

Ecotribal has been established in 2004 after a long period of gestation, including 28 years traveling and working in South America, accumulating experience in anthropology, sustainable development, teaching, tourism and journalism. This work has led to strong direct links to rainforest communities, particularly in the Peruvian Amazon. www.ecotribal.com

Tambopata Research Center, Rainforest Expeditions $1,500+
Click on Parrot Clay Lick photo below to watch on YouTube or watch in the Gallery tab above.

For $2,000 or more, you receive an expedition at Tambopata Research Center from Deep in Forests partner Rainforest Expeditions. 6 days/5 nights. TRC has been working with macaws for over 20 years. A huge claylick lays less than a kilometer from TRC.

For $1,500 or more, you receive an expedition at Tambopata Research Center from Deep in Forests partner Rainforest Expeditions. 6 days/5 nights. TRC has been working with macaws for over 20 years. A huge claylick lays less than a kilometer from TRC.
Photos by Jeff Cremer.
Airfare not included.

Rainforest Expeditions is a recipient of The Rainforest Alliance 2012 Sustainable Standard-Setter award. This Peruvian ecotourism company shares with visitors in a sustainable manner the miracles of the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone, 1.5 million hectares of pristine, still wild, tropical rainforest encompassing an area of land the size of Connecticut and stretching from the Andean highlands to the Amazon lowlands. It includes the Tambopata National Reserve, a 275,000-hectare conservation unit created by the Peruvian government in 1990 to protect the watersheds of the Tambopata and Candamo rivers. It is adjacent to the 1-million-hectare Bahuaja Sonene National Park. Conservation and ecotourism is helping to protect some of the last untouched lowland and premontane tropical humid forests in the Amazon.

Since 1989, guests of first one and now three Rainforest Expedition eco-lodges have added value to the region’s standing tropical rainforest. A sensitively conceived and managed (in some cases by native communities) touristic infrastructure creates a competitive alternative to such unsustainable economic uses as clear cutting the forest for timber or for cattle grazing. The partnerships Rainforest Expeditions has forged with local people eager to share Amazonian traditions with guests provide connection, expertise, adventure and access to wildlife in the jungles of Tambopata. Rainforest Expeditions has been verified and certified “a sustainable tourism business” by the Rainforest Alliance. www.perunature.com

By supporting ORG by vio® and the indigenous Amazon artisans on Indiegogo, you will be helping us reach our goal to bring high quality Amazon accessories and eco fashion to more people around the world, while ensuring a sustainable economy for the stewards of the forests... And you will receive gorgeous rewards made by the very artisans you are supporting!

PLEDGES ARE ACCEPTED WORLDWIDE in USD!

If you rather receive a tax write-off for a contribution above $100, please visit www.amazonwatch.org and donate, in Additional Comments write “VIOLETA’S AMAZON PROJECT” ...Or send a tax-deductible contribution to Amazon Watch 221 Pine St., 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104 and write “VIOLETA’S AMAZON PROJECT” on memo. Send me a message, if you've chosen this option, so we can track it.

Other ways to support:

If you would like to invest in ORG by vio® and our work with Amazon artisans, send me a message or visit our Investing page.

You can also Shop for beautiful Amazon Eco Fashions directly on our online Shop!

If you are media or PR, you can promote our company and work through your mediums! You can read more about us in About menu on our website, in Press and watch our videos.

Please support this project!
Even small contributions mean a lot to us. If you know someone who might also be interested in supporting ORG by vio® and the Amazon artisans, please let them know and pass this fundraiser along. Thank you so much for your help and support!

And thank you to the artisans and Deep in Forests partners for sharing their exquisite Amazon goods for this project!

For the Love of People, Planet & Culture.

Love & Light,

$1,500 USD

Join our partner Rainforest Expeditions at TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER for 6 days/5 nights. TRC has been working with macaws for over 20 years. A huge claylick lays less than a kilometer from TRC. RFE is a Peruvian Ecotourism company created to add value to standing tropical rainforest turning it into a competitive alternative to unsustainable economic uses. Airfare not included. See photos and details below left to learn more about our Deep in Forests partner Rainforest Expeditions.

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October 2012

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