Description

The Waorani people of Yasuni live in one of the most biodiverse forests in the world that is a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve and a national park. They still live their ancestral way of life as hunter gatherers, and share their territory with a few of the world’s last uncontacted tribes.

They face severe pressures from the encroaching oil projects that are destroying the rainforest. This artisanal trade provides them with sustainable income helping them to resist these pressures and preserve the rainforest.

The Waorani artisans are mostly women and they make handmade jewellery, such as necklaces and bracelets, as well as handwoven bags and hammocks.  This process is 100% sustainable as the plants used are wild-grown and abundant. Harvesting them does not require damaging the plant.