Runa

From the Amazon, Into Your Cup


 

In an ancient tradition, Amazonian families gather at dawn to drink guayusa from gourds around a communal fire. They come together during these early morning hours to share dreams, music and myths. Indigenous farmers say this tradition is essential to what makes them “Runa” - fully living human beings.

Runa began when three students teamed up with communities of indigenous farmers to share the guayusa (why-you-suh) ritual with the world.

Collectively, we are creating a business that respects cultural traditions, supports small farmers, and helps the Amazon rainforest thrive. Runa inspires people to live a stimulating life and use their energy and imagination to create a better world.

 

The word “Runa” means "person” or “fully living human being” in the Kichwa language, and we have chosen this name to represent our company's commitment to realizing a new dream of living responsibly, collaboratively, and intelligently as an international human community. While “Runa” is a term of immense pride, identity, and spiritual vitality for the Kichwa people themselves, in modern Ecuadorian society, “Runa” is a word that has become a disrespectful and racist slur that signifies “stupid and worthless.” Our organization’s goal is to revalorize indigenous cultural identity, traditions, and plant knowledge on an international scale, by carrying Runa as the brand name for all our products and as a symbol of our commitment to living fully as humans.

THE NEED FOR RUNA
UNESCO and Conservation International both recognize the Ecuadorian Amazon as one of the top 10 most biodiverse places on the planet. Meanwhile, over 3% of the Ecuadorian Amazon is deforested each year, and the oil mining industry has left a long legacy of exploitation and destruction in the region. The latest data from the Global Climate Program indicates that deforestation accounts for 25% of global emissions of heat-trapping gases contributing to climate change, and slash and burn agriculture is the leading cause of tropical deforestation. But at the same time, cross-country comparisons show that GDP growth in agriculture is at least twice as effective at mitigating the effects of poverty as any other economic generating activity. Few organizations have been able to balance the need to create productive, sustainable livelihoods for local people and simultaneously conserve the environment. Therefore, innovative strategies are needed that jointly support income generation for smallholder producers while maintaining the ecological integrity of the Amazon rainforest.

OUR STRATEGY
Runa’s strategy to bring together the often conflicting goals of development and conservation is to creatively leverage the power of global markets by building direct trade relationships between small producers and conscious consumers. This market-based mechanism creates economic incentives for sustainable management of natural resources by assisting indigenous farming families earn income for goods produced in organic agroforestry systems. Runa utilizes this fair trade mechanism to unite the priorities of income generation, cultural preservation, and sustainable management of natural resources in mutually reinforcing ways. By selling fair trade goods in the North, Runa not only revalorizes endangered indigenous traditions on an international scale, but also proves that consumer dollars can act as a force for positive social change and environmental conservation. Our vertically integrated supply chain allows us to put a higher percentage of the profits in the producers’ hands, and double or triple their income by following ecological principles of crop production.

 

Winner of the Rhode Island 2009 Business Plan Competition's Student Track Winner of Brown University Entrepreneurship Program's 2009 Business Plan Competition

WANTED: independent, entrepreneurial and adventurous people to join us in the jungle!

----- FALL 2010 PROGRAMMING BEGINS OCTOBER 5th!-----


Invitation for Volunteers:

With Runa’s unique combination of environmental, social, and business aspects in its work, volunteers receive a unique opportunity to participate in the growth of a budding social enterprise.  The focus of the volunteer program is working on Runa’s new Conservation, Training, and Research Center outside of Puyo, Ecuador.  Volunteers will work primarily in our diverse nurseries of organically managed tree and fruit species, and assist our technicians and engineers in the creation and maintenance of organic agroforestry plots.  All volunteers also partner with our field technicians to visit individual family farms, participate in cultural exchange events and guayusa tea ceremonies, and have the opportunity to develop their own research projects.


Qualifications:

  • Basic Spanish required (although Intermediate to Advanced level of Spanish is highly recommended)
  • Independent, entrepreneurial spirit
  • Good health and physical fitness (due to level of outdoor work)
  • Interest in Ecuadorian indigenous culture, agroforestry, sustainable development, and / or organic gardening

Accommodations & Food

Runa’s research station has a newly renovated home for volunteers, with the capacity for six people, including a live-in volunteer coordinator. The house has indoor cold showers, and well maintained composting toilets.

Lunch and dinner will be provided daily by a local mother who lives on the property with her husband, who serves as a 24-hour guard and groundskeeper.  Granola, eggs, and other breakfast foods are available in the volunteer house for self-service.


Planning & Coordination

A Quito-based volunteer coordinator provides trip coordination, including airport pickup, and an on-site American volunteer coordinator lives on the research site full time and coordinates all volunteer activities.

The Research Center in Fatima is conveniently located off of a major interprovincial bus route and is a convenient 30 minutes away from Puyo, the capital of the province of Pastaza.

Cost

$100 per week (includes 3 meals per day M - F, program coordination, housing, and pre and post trip support).

For volunteers with higher levels of Spanish, relevant background experience, and who are willing to stay for at least 2 months, discount payment structures can be offered.


Duration

Volunteers are welcome to stay for a minimum of one week and as long as six months. Small groups are welcome as well.

 


INVITATION FOR INTERNS:

For students and professionals with technical skills in agroforestry management, carpentry, plant-biology research or other applied fields, special discounted long-term arrangements can be made. Research and Development internships can also be based out of our house-office in Archidona, Ecuador. This slighlty more urban jungle site is more suited for interns with specific skills in strategitic planning, organizational management and cultural research.  Internships are arranged on an individual basis by contacting our volunteer coordinator. Interns are expected to be exceptionally independent self-starters who will propose and execute their own projects according to Runa's needs. 2 months is the minimum suggested duration for an internship.


Questions contact: volunteer@runa.org

Please apply at least 2 months in advance of desired dates.


TO APPLY:

Email volunteer@runa.org with the following materials:

1. Brief letter of introduction

2. Volunteer Application (click here to download)

3. Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae