The Moch Huasginch Kamëntsá School
Kamëntsá Language
Revitalization Program
An Indigenous-led program restoring the Kamëntsá ancestral language through community education and cultural transmission — guided by OIOC with support from Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative and the Circle of Sacred Nature (USA)
What We’re Achieving
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151 students actively enrolled in Kamëntsá language courses
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4 Indigenous teachers leading immersive 8-hour weekly sessions
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111 adult students receiving completion bonuses for finishing the 16-week curriculum
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New educational materials: illustrated grammar cards, songbooks, audiovisual documentation
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Formation of a sustainable model to expand across Sibundoy Valley schools in 2026
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Cultural impact: measurable progress in writing, grammar, oral expression, and renewed intergenerational dialogue
Your support directly fuels these results.
What this Matters
When a language disappears, its wisdom disappears too—songs, medicinal knowledge, ecological systems, and spiritual practices vanish.
The Kamëntsá language encodes a sophisticated worldview of reciprocity, balance, and respect for nature. Its survival safeguards ancestral knowledge essential for Amazonian ecological resilience and spiritual continuity.
Supporting this program ensures Indigenous knowledge thrives in the modern world, guided by community-led teaching and measurable outcomes.
Cultural survival. Ecological defense. Reciprocity in action.
The extinction of a language is like the extinction of a plant or animal— each carries wisdom essential to life
TAITA JUAN BAUTISTA AGREDA
Our Indigenous Leadership Team
Taita Juan Bautista Agreda
Taita Juan, a Kamëntsá elder and respected Yagé knowledge keeper, has over 40 years of experience as a spiritual leader and community governor (elected three times by his people). As Director of OIOC, he guides the organization with cultural integrity, overseeing both the language revitalization process and organizational operations. His leadership ensures that finances, logistics, and program delivery remain rooted in Indigenous values while advancing long-term sustainability.
Andrés Juagibioy
Andrés has more than 30 years of experience in strengthening the Kamëntsá language. He is motivated by the opportunity to share his knowledge while continuing to learn from new generations. At OIOC, he serves as a teacher and lead researcher, documenting the living Kamëntsá language through oral traditions, ecological knowledge, and storytelling.
Juana María Muchachasoy
With 38 years of teaching experience, Juana María is deeply committed to ensuring that children never lose their ancestral word. She has worked in childcare, community councils, and alongside Indigenous leaders to strengthen identity. At OIOC, she serves as a teacher of oral and written Kamëntsá, guiding children and youth in cultural transmission.
Gladis Alicia Chindoy Chicunque
With over 25 years of experience, Gladis has been dedicated to teaching and preserving the Kamëntsá language since the age of 16. She is especially inspired by children, seeing in them the possibility of transmitting knowledge across generations. At OIOC, she serves as a teacher and cultural guide, supporting intergenerational learning in the Moch Huasginch Kamëntsá School.
Antonia Narváez
Antonia is an Indigenous communicator and researcher dedicated to documenting ancestral ways of life. At OIOC, she supports the Kamëntsá Language Revitalization Program through oral history collection, cultural investigation, and community storytelling. Her work strengthens the living archive of Kamëntsá memory and ensures that the voices of elders and daily practices of the community are preserved and transmitted to future generations.
Luis Antonio Buesaquillo Agreda
Luis Antonio has actively participated in language revitalization as a teacher and cultural organizer. He has worked in community schools, bilingual institutions, and cultural collectives, and is currently developing a Kamëntsá grammar booklet. At OIOC, he serves as a teacher and materials developer, contributing to the creation of written and didactic resources for language learning.
Impact Numbers
151
Students actively enrolled
4
Indigenous teachers
$200
motivation bonus per student
280
children reached in schools
How to Support
Every gift is a seed of survival. By supporting the Kamëntsá Language Revitalization Program, you ensure that this endangered voice of the Amazon does not fade into silence. Your contribution directly funds students, teachers, and the creation of living cultural materials.
$200
Sponsor 1 student’s 16-week course
$1,000
Support 1 Indigenous teacher for 4 months
$1,250
Create new learning materials (books, theater, music)
Any amount
Contributes to snacks, supplies, and administration
Budget & Transparency
Budget 1-Year Total: $27,077 USD
$13,000 Secured – $14,077 Needed
Key Funding Areas
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Student Motivation Bonuses – $22,200 $800,000 COP per student × 111 students completing the 4-month course; ensures accountability, engagement, and measurable outcomes.
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Teacher Salaries – $4,200 Four Indigenous teachers provide weekly instruction for 151 students.
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Program Coordination & Logistics – included Local coordination, class management, and materials through OIOC’s Tamabioy team.
Funding Secured
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Chacruna / IRI – $8,000
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Santiago Suarez (Philanthropist) – $5,000
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Total Secured: $13,000 | Balance to Raise: $14,077
Newsletter & Updates
Stay connected—receive updates, stories, and progress from the Kamëntsá Language Revitalization Program.
Our Partners
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