History
In 2002, Hilvert Timmer is in Bolivia for his graduation thesis on Cultural Antropology. He researches the Aymara highland indians and their vision on cosmos. During his stay, he invites his friend Heidi van Hoof for a visit to travel with him to the Amazone area. Heidi knows Bolivia: earlier, she had done research here for her thesis for Development Studies.
A special encounter
On their way to the Amazone, they meet the Bolivian agricultural specialist Hernán Huaycho Pacajes, an Aymara from the city of El Alto. He invites them to visit some villages where he had realised a couple of projects. After a long and dangerous ride, they end up in the highlands in a small and isolated community of 14 families, at an altitude of 4.500 meters, in the freezing cold. The inhabitants give them a warm welcome and treat them with respect. They share coca leaves and they slaughter a llama for the visitors.
Experiment
Then the town leader tells them about an experiment in the next village. An inhabitant of that village had built a small greenhouse. In spite of the fog and cold at this altitude, only a few sun hours appeared to be sufficient for growing vegetables. Inspired by this success story, the villagers ask Hilvert and Heidi to help them with a similar project.
Collecting
When they get back in La Paz, Hilvert and Heidi decide to go on with the project. They collect money from friends and family in the Netherlands, enough to build 14 greenhouses of 30 square meters, the purchase of seeds, gardening equipment and other things they needed. With instructions of Hilvert and Heidi, the villagers build the greenhouses by themselves. During two years they will get agricultural training.
The beginning of an organization
In August 2002, Hilvert and Heidi decide their initiative could grow into an organization. They name it Chakana. Together with Hernán Huaycho Pacajes, they form the first board of the foundation. Their aim is to keep working in Chuma, the region where the first project had taken place, because there are no other organizations working there due to the tough climate and the isolation of the communities.
More projects
Back in the Netherlands, Hilvert continues the activities. Because after the first successful project, Chakana receives more and more requests by isolated communities. This leads to more projects. Soon member of the board Hernán finds two professionals to help him: ecologist Juan Marin and another agricultural specialist Jaime Sentero. In 2004, Chakana gets a 'legal status': it becomes officially an NGO (non-gouvernemental organization).
Office
Mid 2003, Chakana moves into a small office in the centre of La Paz. This becomes the headquarters where visitors stop by daily, for instance representatives of the Bolivian administration, partner organizations and rural communities. People talk here about development issues, circumstances in the villages, possible alliances and project requests.
Alliances
Building the organization of the NGO, Chakana connects with other NGO's, regional and national Bolivian administrations and embassies. This way, several alliances are made, through which Chakana can exchange knowledge and find financial support. By doing so Chakana is capable of setting up bigger and steadier projects. Also in the Netherlands, people and institutions are being involved in the work of Chakana. Contributors receive newsletter on a regular basis, in which the progress of projects is communicated. Financial partners receive an extensive evaluation of each project. The number of contributors keeps going up. More and more people know the balanced philosophy and routine of Chakana.
A solid foundation
While in the Netherlands, Hilvert Timmer keeps working on professionalizing the organization. Because of the continuous expansion of projects, more people are needed for parallel acivities such as fundraising, research, administration, communication, PR and marketing. A couple of young professionals are recruited for these activities, all of them work on a voluntary basis.
Knowledge centre
Chakana is also growing into its role of knowledge centre in the area of the Bolivian highland indians. In 2005, Hilvert publishes a book about his research in Bolivia and he starts giving lectures on the subject of highland indians and their cosmology. Heidi, who is working for Oxfam/Novib now, also wants to enlarge her knowledge of Bolivia and begins a one-year-and-a-half master study at the Latin-America Institute (CEDLA) in Amsterdam. The last three months of this period she spends in Bolivia, doing intensive field work in one of Chakana's project villages. Chakana's wish to be a knowledge center is being fulfilled more and more.
Interns
At the end of 2005, Development Studies student Hindertje Heemstra does her internship at Chakana in Bolivia. She works for the projects and also contributes to the building of knowledge by doing research. Many interns of several fields of study have followed her example in the next years.
The present time
By now, Chakana is a professional organization with approximately 30 volunteers working in the Netherlands and 11 people on the pay roll in Bolivia. The number of projects keeps rising, thanks to a growing number of requests and the fact that Chakana always is capable of getting them financed. The knowledge center continues to expand, thanks to research by interns and others, and alliances with other organizations. Chakana is getting a lot of attention through marketing projects like the Charity Dinners (2006 and 2007) and the red wine Chakana Wiphala, exclusively produced for Chakana by Chakana Wines (Argentina). Also, Chakana is expanding her work field to Peru and the Quechua indians. We see the future optimistically and are convinced we can do lots more of good work with the indigenous peoples of the Andes.
