News
 Yachay Wasi re-visits Andean lakes projects25.07.2016Vice President and Co-Founder of Yachay Wasi and main representative to the United Nations (UN) Marie-Danielle Samuel re-visited Acopia, Peru, in June 2016, returning to the site of several Yachay Wasi projects. She said: “I returned to Cuzco, Peru and, with the President of Yachay Wasi, I re-visited the Circuit of Four Lakes and the village of Acopia where most of our projects took place. The beauty of this area is still striking but the momentum to preserve it is slowed down by the lack of interest from authorities and international entities. Luis Delgado Hurtado, President of Yachay Wasi, native of Acopia, has dedicated his life since 1993 to improve this status, one of the rare Indigenous leaders who spends time in UN meetings and actually returns home to share information and better the situation of local Indigenous communities in Peru High Andes. Our first Partnership with the CSD was successful and was shown on UN websites over the years. Yachay Wasi is now trying to continue with a new Partnershipto include environmental curriculum in schools in the Circuit of Four Lakes, but funding partners are needed….” The Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes in the Peruvian Andes was registered as a Partnership by Yachay Wasi, an NGO based in Cuzco, Peru, and in New York City, USA, with the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in March 2005. This Partnership for Sustainable Development was composed of major groups: indigenous peoples, NGOs and local communities. Yachay Wasi was the lead partner. Yachay Wasi was actively involved since 1999 (CSD-7 focusing on sustainable tourism) with the CSD. As a NGO accredited with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2001, it was registered for the Johannesburg World Summit in 2002 and appreciated the concept of Sustainable Development Partnerships. Yachay Wasi was aware for some years of the growing contamination from modern chemicals and solid waste of the mountain lakes near the native village of its indigenous president, but it did not have the financial means to undertake a project. Encouraged by the interest of the Rotary District 9500 in Australia, one of Yachay Wasi’s NGO partners, it funded a study in August 2004 and embarked on a long fund raising strategy, which culminated with a matching grant from Rotary Foundation in August 2007. The first phase of this water and sanitation project took place from September 2007 through February 2008. During the years 2004-2007, Yachay Wasi obtained prior and informed consent from the several indigenous communities affected. Yachay Wasi was also encouraged by the support of CSD, which provided credibility and visibility to the project. Yachay Wasi set up its first information desk during CSD-13 in April 2005 at UN headquarters in New York City, USA. It continued to do so in May 2006 (CSD-14) and in May 2007 (CSD-15). In May 2008 (CSD-16), besides an information desk, Yachay Wasi presented a report on the completion of the first phase of the Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes. When Yachay Wasi sent news of its Partnership registration to its mailing list, a congratulation message was received from the chief of ECOSOC/NGO section. In April 2008, the Recovery of the Circuit of Four Lakes was showcased as a “Best Practice in Sustainable Development by NGOs” and invited to have a display table during the High Level Segment of ECOSOC Substantive Session in July 2008. The Partnership received additional exposure in various UN documents.
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