EDGAR ADVENTURES

Make the difference, and help directly with your own hands to projects & initiatives like health care, resource development, communal infrastructure that will contribute on strengthening the community links, or directly helping to individuals that need assistance. This volunteer project involves not only bringing our hand labor but as well the necessary supplies to accomplish the aims. It is a particularly gratifying way of helping because the volunteer gets involved with the locals and work hand by hand, and have the chance to experience unique aspects of the local cultures. Let’s make the difference in the world around you,

• Bring clean air, Chimney health care project.- This is an ambitious health care project to help our home stay families on Lake Titicaca. In the Andes kitchens, chimneys are not used. By cooking with fire wood in closed spaces the fume is very harmful to the lungs. In fact high percentages of Tar, tar can be found in the local people lungs. It affects not only the mother, but all the family & children because the kitchen is the most important social place in the house. This general health problem can be solved when using chimneys to remove the fumes away the kitchen room. The idea is sponsoring a family and bringing to them a chimney and participating directly installing it working together with the local host families, hand by hand, introducing the hands in the mud, moving stones and finally testing the chimneys, making a hot soup in the improved kitchen. This volunteer journey can be done in any of our lake home stay tours, either in private or group departs, it aloud the traveler to enjoy the tours program as normal not losing any attraction ,The logistics of this trip have to be consulted to Us. The extra cost of the trip is basically the cost of the chimney $ 50.00 usd.
• Conserving the cultural heritage, Ticonata Museum.- Ticonata island is a small hidden cultural and natural paradise, even today it is possible to observe some examples of pre-Incan houses, terraces, most of the ancient cultural heritage is lost. But recently an important archeological finding was done by lucky islanders; Six ancient mummies where found in a cave close to the lake shores, apparently all part of a funerary event. It is a remarkable cultural discovery that will tell us more about the ancient past of the island, but this priceless pieces that include as well ceramics, some textiles, tools, amongst many objects don’t have an place to be displayed nor adequately conserved. Then in coordination with the community we have planned to build a museum that will help to protect and display their cultural heritage. If you have the commitment you can sponsor some supplies for this project, for example mud bricks, wood, or others and put your hands on together with the locals, and be an active volunteer. Ask for details
• Strengthening the community, Taquile communal restaurant.- Taquile island was considered a paradise on Titicaca lake where the time had stand, the isolation made possible that, unique cultural aspects like dances, rituals, weaving and social organization remained almost untouched by the modern world. Nowadays contrary to the public knowledge, Taquile Island a real cultural jewel today is an endangered spice. When tourism began the community managed it communally trying to distribute the income democratically for all. But due to the irresponsible action of the local travel agencies and the authorities that panorama has changed because they have favored the apparition and development of some private restaurants, and business, benefiting only to few locals forgetting the majorities Today only 30 families of the 600 are receiving most of the tourism benefits, and it has dramatically affected this unique community and weaken their institutions, culture and it is producing social frictions. 13 years ago, there were 4 private restaurants and the Old communal restaurant the only one that shares the benefits for all. Today there are 25 private restaurants and still only one communal restaurant which is the less cared and visited, the same is happening with accommodation services. What has to be done then? It is important to strengthen the communal aspects of the island as a condition to preserve unique cultural aspects and a type of organization that is considered a replica of the Incan administration. We have planned to sponsor the construction of a new communal restaurant for the Islanders, it is a big task it involves lots of hard work and supplies, the locals have the commitment and need your support too, so “Put your hands on”, sponsoring some supplies for the building and help to put it on the building, you will experience to form part of a unique community and in the same time help then to face the future. Ask for details.
• Cleaning campaigns, Lake Titicaca islands.- lake Titicaca islands are becoming attractions of first order; monthly thousands of visitors will visit them each tourist carrying a certain amount of inorganic garbage that will remain somewhere over the islands. As there is no a recycling garbage system it is important to remove garbage away the islands. Since 1996 and annually we organize cleaning campaigns on Amantani, & Taquile islands, and have collected with the participation of our local guides, motor boat skippers and islanders literally hips of plastic bottles, candy wrappers, used batteries and removed it off the islands by overloaded motor boats into the Puno’s city recycling centers, to give this garbage a better end. If you want “Put your hands on” and participate in our mother earth day, every 22nd of April , as well on 20th march & 22nd May be part of our cleaning campaigns and get 60% off the tour price and contribute to make a better world. Know as well that in all our tours our guides bring back to Puno city the non bio degradable garbage. As well if you want to contribute in this labour any time of the year your group can get 50% Off about costing either in full day tours or 2 day trips, but then in private journeys.