Creating Opportunities for the Next Generation
At Bosques Amazónicos (BAM), we believe that conserving forests also means investing in the people who protect them. Through the REDD Castañeros Project, we support a scholarship program that provides educational opportunities for the children and grandchildren of the Brazil nut concessionaire families participating in the project.
This year, we are proud to welcome three new scholarship recipients—young people who represent commitment, perseverance, and the strong connection between Amazonian communities and the forests they help conserve.
Stories that take root among the chestnut groves
Saúl Córdova Delgado
20 years old | Forestry Engineering – Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco (UNSAAC), Madre de Dios campus
From a young age, Saúl has accompanied his family on their chestnut harvesting trips to the family concession in Pariamarca, a place accessible only by river. That experience shaped his life and sparked his interest in studying a degree related to forest management.
My family’s concession is in Pariamarca; you have to travel there by river. Going there every year to help my family harvest chestnuts shaped me and prepared me to face life’s challenges.
Today, he is embarking on a new career path with the aim of contributing to the sustainable management of forest resources.
Saúl Vargas Jacinto
23 years old | Law and Political Science – Universidad Nacional de Madre de Dios (UNAMAD)
For Saúl, his mother’s chestnut concession represents much more than just a source of work. It is a place where, every season, he strengthens family ties whilst taking part in the chestnut harvest.
For me, my mum’s concession means spending time with my family at the end of every year whilst helping with the chestnut harvest.
With his degree in Law and Political Science, he hopes to contribute to strengthening communities and protecting the region’s natural resources.
Flor Gutiérrez Moreno
18 years old | Nursing – Universidad Nacional de Madre de Dios (UNAMAD)
Flor’s dream of becoming a healthcare professional began thanks to the efforts of her family and, in particular, her grandmother, who is a member of the Castañeros REDD Project.
Thanks to my grandmother, who is part of the Castañeros REDD Project, I will be able to achieve my goal of studying nursing at university and contributing to healthcare in my region.
Her story reflects how conservation also creates opportunities to improve the quality of life for future generations.
A programme that transforms lives
The Castañeros REDD Project Scholarship Programme continues to demonstrate that conservation can generate positive impacts that extend beyond the forest.
To date, the programme has produced two scholarship graduates:
- Linda Valencia, a graduate in Education specialising in Mathematics.
- Kevin Quispe, a graduate in Forestry and Environmental Engineering.
As well as facilitating access to higher education, the programme has led to significant improvements in the well-being of its beneficiaries. Evaluations show that scholarship recipients reported an average increase of 3.5 points in their satisfaction with their education, compared to their level before receiving the scholarship. They also reported an average increase of 2.5 points in their overall life satisfaction.
Preserving the forest, building a future
Every scholarship represents an investment in the future of the Amazon. Behind every student lies a family of chestnut farmers, a community and a forest that is finding new opportunities to remain protected.
At BAM, we understand that conservation is not only measured in hectares protected, but also in the opportunities created for those who have dedicated their lives to caring for the forest.
Because when a community thrives, the forest also has a brighter future.
