Kind Human Travel has launched a fundraising campaign to support the Community of Choquecancha and protect the ancestral knowledge specific to this corner of the Peruvian Andes.
The tiny, remote Community of Choquecancha in the Peruvian Andes is facing a disappearing future. Its millennial-old traditions and way of life are fading, as a great majority of the young population leaves the village in search of opportunity elsewhere. In an attempt to curb depopulation and create new possibilities for its inhabitants, the community has turned to the team of Kind Human Travel. Together, they have just launched a fundraising campaign to finance a cultural and economic revitalization project.
The Choquecancha Campsite & Community Project aims to build a small, self-sustaining campsite and immersive tourism experience centered around reviving and protecting the ancestral knowledge specific to this corner of the Peruvian Andes. While creating new economic possibilities for the community members, the project will offer an extraordinary opportunity for travelers seeking a unique, authentic connection with Peru and its millennia-old culture.
The Challenge:
Nestled at 3,225 meters above sea level, Choquecancha was once a self-sufficient community renowned for its exquisite textiles. However, the influx of cheap, machine-made products has devastated their traditional livelihood. Young people are leaving the village, fearing a future devoid of opportunity. Nowadays, more than 60% of young people leave the community to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Going forward at this rate, it is easy to imagine that the history of this community, with its thousand-year-old traditions, will come to a not-too-distant end.
The Solution:
In 2023, the community approached Andres Adasme Tapia, an archaeologist, researcher and sustainable tourism expert who has known and regularly visited Choquecancha for many years. With the support of two friends and colleagues, Andres and the community members started working on an eco-tourism project intended to create new economic possibilities for the village, while preserving and enhancing its unique ancestral knowledge.
The project will:
- Build a small campsite with just 6 tents to minimize environmental and social impact.
- Offer immersive experiences co-led by community members, allowing visitors to learn about traditional farming, weaving, medicinal herbs, Andean astronomy, spirituality and more.
- Support the revival of ancient crafts by providing a platform for artisans to showcase and sell their hand-woven textiles and crafts
- Empower the community through new economic possibilities, educational opportunities and fair compensation for their participation.
How You Can Help:
The community of Choquecancha and the team of Kind Human have just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the completion of the campsite, so they can start welcoming the first guests in March 2025. The bet is to raise around $45,000 in 60 days, in donations ranging from $30 up to $5,000. Each donation is matched by certain rewards, including traditional Choquecancha textiles, discounts on community experience, and much more. As with any Kickstarter campaign, donors will not be charged until the campaign ends (31 December 2024), and only if the initial goal is reached.
"For Kind Human, travel is first and foremost about entering into a profound cultural exchange based on mutual understanding," explains Andres Adasme, Kind Human Founder. "Fostering responsible and respectful tourism practices means first and foremost working to protect and revitalize the cultural heritage of small communities like Choquecancha, creating truly sustainable economic opportunities - not only for the environment but also, and above all, for Humankind."
Visit Kind Human Travel website www.kindhumantravel.com to learn more about the project and the Choquecancha community.
Follow Kind Human Travel on social media: Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to stay updated on the project's progress.
About Kind Human:
Kind Human is a Cusco-based travel company specializing in immersive experiences in small rural communities and expeditions ‘to the roots of Humanity’ aimed at rediscovering and protecting the ancestral knowledge of ancient civilizations. In addition to the Choquecancha project, around which the company was founded, Kind Human's offer includes, for example, a trip to discover Andean astronomy during the Summer Solstice (Winter Solstice in the Southern hemisphere), or a mountain expedition during the indigenous festival of Qollor'ity.