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I am about to change my life not for the first time mind you.....

I took part in the recent BBC2 documentary Tribal Wives which was billed as a documentary but actually was not unlike a pseudo reality TV program.

I lived and worked as a Tribal Wife with the Huaorani tribe in Ecuador for a month last year. The Huaorani are one of the fiercest tribes in the jungle. They have never been conquered   not by the Incas nor later the Spaniards and not as  yet by the loggers and oil companies. Some still remain in voluntary isolation to the outside world.

I actually went to see what cultural integration feels like in its rawest sense. To understand what happens in mergers and acquisitions at an individual level. To experience an new culture first hand. I  am still documenting what I learned as we speak.

I wanted to make HR people appear less boring ! I hope I did that too.

What I learned was more profound but one thing about reality TV is that it is real. So this is what happens after reality TV.
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About the Yasuni National Forest- Decisions are being made in October 2008

Scientists from all over the world have qualified Yasuní as the zone with the highest biodiversity of the world. Within one hectare of Yasuní, 644 different species of trees have been identified. There are as many different species in one hectare of Yasuní, as there are in the whole of North America.

Yasuní has been declared a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

This biosphere reserve is also the territory of the indigenous Huaorani people and some tribes who live in voluntary isolation. These are the last free human beings of Ecuador, true warriors who live in the so-called society of abundance, because they only produce the minimum to satisfy their own needs.

The foreseeable impacts of oil exploitation in the park are: contamination, deforestation, destruction of the social fabric, extinction of cultures etc. 

The solution

The President of the Republic of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, has indicated that the first option for the country is to leave the crude oil of Yasuní untouched underground.  The idea is to stimulate the national and international society to contribute in this expensive national decision. The government expects, through this mechanism, to recover 50% of the income it would have obtained by extracting the crude oil.

The State will emit certificates for the crude oil of Yasuní, and promise to keep the crude underground forever and use the funds to better protect Yasuní National Park. 

The arguments in favour of this proposal are:

1. This proposal is the only unquestioned solution to climate change
2. Conservation of biodiversity 
3. Protection of the indigenous inhabitants of Yasuní
4. Transformation of the Ecuadorian economy away from oil

My  Mission

 Since returning I have felt a huge responsibility to help raise the Internationally held concerns with regard to the deforestation and exploration for oil in the Yasuni National Park where my friends the Huaorani live. I have added some external links to give you more background.

 This is a global campaign with fabulous support from people like  Dr Jane Goodall and many international governments.

I need to raise the following to bring the Tribal leader,  Penti from the Community I visited to an important book launch in London on 6th October 2008 at the Amnesty International headquarters in London which will be attended by many officials from the UK and Ecuadorian government.  He will be accompanied by Anita Rivas, Mayor of Francisco de Orellana/Coca, Ecuador .It is expected to be a high profile  event.

 Here is more information about the book called Yasuni Green Gold.

 http://yasunigreengold.org/learnmore.htm

 What I need and why.

3 return flights from Quito to London and then to on  Spain and return home for the 2nd October 2007 returning  on or around 19th October 2008  ( dates subject to confirmation)

Hotel accommodation in London for up to 4 people for a two week period and potentially accommodation in Spain .

A South American Spanish/ English translator for the period.

Corporate Catering for the event.

Transport

Invitations etc

Contingency !!

I have tried to make this as easy as pie for everyone to give. I designed the site myself and I actually do think its working.( TOUCH WOOD). This was the quickest way to get money in quickly and keep a record of  all donations. Time is very short!

The Huaorani  Tribal leader Penti  and his community also need help with sustainable tourism  and to protect his home from intruders. His home is the Forest we are trying to save. So any additional support that you could give in terms of time  and people power  to help us  make this event spectacular  would be gratefully received.

There may also be a film made of Penti’s visit here and obviously your personal or business sponsorship will be credited should this happen (if this is not filmed by the BBC again !.) I hope the credits run for hours and hours !!

Seriously though this will only take three clicks of your mouse to make this happen and in doing so you will be helping to Save the Yasuni National Forest and demonstrate to either  your employees and clients  or more importantly to yourself that Corporate Social Responsibility is about taking  action to support quickly when it is needed most.

That time is now.

I am happy to talk this through with you at any time. This is probably the most important thing I have ever done. I have told the campaign leaders I can make this happen and I need your help and personal support to do that please. Please forward to others to make a donation or talk to your CSR person if that is not you to see what they could do to help me.
 

Revoluationary's take action not just talk:) 

Kind regards

BOPOx

BOPO is the name given to me by the Huaorani. I was very honoured to have been named the anthropologists said that would not happen....but actually much of what they said would never happen happened. I was married to a Huaorani hunter too ! BOPO means strong tall tree. I hope I live up to my name. I am actually finding it takes a lot of guts to ask for money.

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Here are a couple of external links to give you more background information.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7469897.stm

http://www.saveamericasforests.org/

http://www.sosyasuni.org/en/News/New-Internationalist-and-Yasuni-Green-Gold-Campaign-publication.html

 http://www.liveyasuni.org/

 http://yasunigreengold.org/learnmore.htm
 

http://www.liveyasuni.org/form.html