Varsha Vijay
Coralville, IA
Capturing and sharing knowledge to preserve Waorani land and culture
In an effort to help combat oil extraction and deforestation in the Amazon, Varsha started Fortificando el Intercambio (Strengthening the Exchange) to share academic findings about the rainforest with the Waorani tribe in Ecuador. By improving the Waorani tribe’s access to the latest science about Amazonian ecosystems and equipping them with GPS and other mapping technologies, Varsha is helping the trip and local NGOs to better watchdog the oil and logging industry. Varsha’s work with the Waorani is helping to preserving the culture of the tribe and conserve the plants and animals of this biodiversity hotspot.