This week’s snapshot shows the lighter side to cultural heritage preservation!
Taken at the SPI project site of San Jose de Moro, Peru, a group taking part in the annual field school enjoy the Peruvian sunset.
Registration is still open for the 2013 field season – spread the word!
As April 18th is International Day of Monuments and Sites we just had to post our Photo of the Week a day early!
This week’s photo shows the community of Bandurria celebrateing as work is now full steam ahead! Following our People Not Stones 2013 crowd funding campaign, we are well on our way to the construction of a communal artisan training and production centre a local store and an “artisans’ quarter” in the form of a number of house-workshops, one for each family in the community. These workshops will be located adjacent to the archaeological site where four pyramids almost 5,500 years old are located.
Support and Success
Our crowd funding campaign, People Not Stones 2013 has been an overwhelming success and raised a total of $49,203 surpassing our goal! We had over 100 generous contributors to our campaign to help us alleviate poverty and preserve the cultural heritage sites of Bandurria, Peru and Chotuna-Chornancap, Peru.
The SPI Team would like to extend a huge Thank You to everyone involved throughout the campaign for your contributions, sharing, tweeting and support. As a result of all of your generous contributions, work at both of these amazing cultural heritage sites is now underway. For all who contributed, your perks will be winging their way to you soon.
People Not Stones
Throughout our campaign we have tried to highlight SPI’s ‘People Not Stones’ mission by emphasizing those personally affected by SPI’s work in poverty-stricken communities to date. One such example, Julio Ibarrola, a campesino turned entrepreneur with SPI’s help in San Jose de Moro, Peru. We know that Julio’s success story will be replicated numerous times in Bandurria and Chotuna.
Press Coverage
The success of our campaign would also not have been possible without the recent press coverage our campaign has been getting. Read about SPI’s work and People Not Stones 2013 on Newsweek, in an article by Reuter’s financial columnist Felix Salmon and at the Huffington Post. We were also honoured to be chosen among thousands of other Indiegogo campaigns and featured on the Team Indiegogo Blog.
From all of us at SPI, thank you again for your support throughout this campaign. We will be updating you soon with news from these two new project sites – watch this space!
We know why this guy seems so happy! He’s just as excited as us about SPI’s upcoming project crowd funding campaign which goes live next week! Our campaign will raise money for our two new project sites; Bandurria and Chotuna-Chornancap. All contributions will help alleviate poverty in these two communities and sustainably preserve the stunning cultural heritage that remains there. With less than a week to Valentine’s Day, why not make a contribution to this worthy cause in the name of a loved one? He already has…!
This week’s photo reveals the exquisite carved detail at Chotuna-Chornancap, Peru. This site, along with Bandurria, Peru pictured in last week’s Photo, is one of SPI’s newest projects beginning in 2013. The site of Chotuna-Chornancap is a stunning 235-acre monumental temple complex where several royal tombs have been discovered. However, the local community currently survives in impoverished conditions where electricity, a sewer system and even clean water is absent. The Sustainable Preservation Initiative will generate a sustainable income for the local community here by facilitating artisan training and production of center. This economic development will empower the local community and incentivise the preservation of this astounding cultural heritage.
This week’s photo glimpses a tour by SPI board members to Bandurria, the site of one of SPI’s latest projects beginning in 2013. Bandurria is home to four pyramids nearly 5,500 years old, the earliest monumental architecture of the Americas and excavations at this site have also revealed a cemetery that belonged to a complex society. 2013 will see SPI work to preserve the site and help to develop a community artisan and training center. SPI hopes to improve and maintain the local economy whilst preserving the cultural heritage of Bandurria for future generations.
SPI Board Members visit a local elementary school at the site of one of our projects. The benefits of an SPI developed site can be seen beyond the local artisans and among all members of the community.
Handwoven baskets made from local reeds and rushes by the community living near the archaeological site of Bandurria, Peru, one of SPI’s newest project sites. The sale of these baskets and other products to tourists at the site brings a sustainable income to the local community and incentives them to protect and preserve their cultural heritage.
Ancient remains of Chotuna – Chornancap, Peru, location of a new SPI project that will begin in the first quarter of 2013. Our “People Not Stones” initiative will empower a new class of entrepreneurs in the impoverished community while simultaneously preserving its precious cultural heritage (pictured above).
Happy Holidays from SPI! Santa gourd ornaments designed and handmade by SPI-sponsored artisan Ivan Cruz in Pampas Gramalote, Peru. The sale of these (and all of the artisans’ handcrafted gourds) brings sustainable income to the community and helps preserve the endangered archaeological site at Pampas Gramalote.
