Segundo, an affable and hardworking coffee farmer in Alto Mayo, Peru, used to clear-cut tracts of rainforest to grow his coffee crop. He was not alone. Many local people in this beautiful but poverty-stricken region used the rainforest for farming, logging, harvesting rare orchids, and hunting rare animal species, with the result that the rainforest was being decimated at an alarming rate. It had to stop, but, at the same time, the people in Alto Mayo must make a living. What to do?

With your support, this project continues to accomplish both objectives. In return for pledges to conserve the forest, local farmers are taught sustainable farming techniques, provided with jobs in rainforest conservancy, enabled as entrepreneurs, and educated in the importance of community-based conservation. The results have been amazing: Over 4,000 hectares of forest have been saved or restored and over six million tonnes of carbon emissions avoided. And support for this project is now at an overwhelming 97% among local communities.

Segundo is one of the most ardent supporters. His sustainable coffee plantation, now located outside the forest, is thriving. “This project changed my life,” he says. “It’s always good to take care of the forest. If not, we would be harming our children and future generations.”

Segundo, and thousands with him in Alto Mayo, say, “Thank you for your support.”