La Libertad is a small indigenous village in the Colombian Amazon, near the borders of Peru and Brazil. The village is only 14 years old, but during this time the population has grown from 50 to over 350 people. They live in near abject poverty and are plagued by problems of parasite infested water, lack of sanitation, and the lure of drug money across the border in Peru. However, the hardships that they endure are balanced by the profound beauty and incredible biodiversity of the rainforest in which they live. Ben Angulo will present “The Amazon Pueblo Project: An Illustrated Discussion about an Indigenous Village” at the Camden Public Library on Tuesday evening, May 15, at 6:30 pm. The Amazon Pueblo project addresses the village’s concerns and presents possible solutions.
Ben Angulo is an accomplished middle school science teacher and traveler. He grew up in mid-coast Maine. He served in the US Naval Submarine Force, and graduated from the University of Maine at Augusta, Bates College, and earned his master’s degree in education from Johnson State College. After working as a science teacher at Rockland District Middle School and as an environmental education instructor at Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center, Ben taught science for seven years at Colegio Los Nogales, in Bogotá, Colombia. During this time he traveled extensively, studying the geology and ecosystem of the country. Ben has been a licensed Maine guide for 17 years. He received his wilderness EMT certification through SOLO, in North Conway, N.H., and is currently working at Camden Hills Regional High School.
He says, “I recently started a project at the University of Maine, Augusta, Rockland Center, which I am continuing on my own. The project’s mission is to help the indigenous community of La Libertad, Amazonas, Colombia, living on the banks of the Amazon River, to enhance their dignity and quality of life by following sustainable practices with food, water, energy, and economics.”
Photos taken in La Libertad by Ben Angulo.
No comments:
Post a Comment