How one Amazon community is protecting water in the rainforest

In Tsutsum, an Awajún community in the Amazon, the connection between water access, rainforest protection and living sustainably is deeply intertwined. Water sources are sacred and so are the trees that surround them.

But for years, fetching safe drinking water meant long, tough treks. In the rainy season, those walks became even more dangerous. Muddy, slippery paths put everyone at risk. Something needed to change, and fast.

Members of Tsutsum marking the path for the water system

Minga: Working together for change

With the support of unconditional cash transfers, the Tsutsum decided to improve their water system. They needed a large team, affordable and durable materials, and an eco-friendly catchment system. Luckily, they had the whole community to help, along with Nelson, our water systems expert from our Peru field team.

The community carried out the project through an ancestral practice known as a ‘minga’. This is a tradition where everyone contributes for the benefit of the whole community. Men, women, and even children, helped with the construction of the water system, excited to transform their community’s quality of life.

Members of Tsutsum installing hoses.

A rainforest-friendly water system

After careful scouting of the rainforest, Nelson and the team found the perfect spot to begin work. A spring fed by rainfall and underground flows. It flowed strong, remained clean, and sat high enough to keep the water pressure going.

They had one big priority: don’t mess with the natural water flow. Disrupting the spring’s natural flow could damage local biodiversity. So, they built a smart catchment system that fills a tank, then lets overflow continue downstream into the rainforest.

Tsutsum team and spring in the forest.

After three months of hard work, the transformation was complete. Homes. Schools. Community spaces. All connected and flowing with water. To ensure the system is built to last, the Tsutsum community were trained in how to maintain and fix it too.

“Seeing everyone’s happy faces and hearing their gratitude, it was truly a special moment,” Nelson said.

Nelson and the community during the installation and supervision training sessions.

Water means progress

The right to water connects everything: it guarantees the well-being and development of the communities, and in turn, they protect the rainforest that sustain this balance. It’s a team effort between the rainforest and the people of Tsutsum that will last for generations.

With your donations, we can continue making this possible for those who protect the Amazon. Because when people thrive, the rainforest thrives.

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