Green Heroes is a non-profit organization located in the Sacred Valley of Peru. Its core mission is to empower local communities with the tools, resources, and knowledge to combat the increasing threat posed by climate change. Through educational missions, they enable local children with the ability to be environmentally focused change-makers suited to the needs of their communities, which enables these communities to become more resilient in the face of climate change.

Peru, despite historically not being one of the main drivers of climate change, stands to face the brunt effects of climate change. Political instability, economic inequality, and poor administrative oversight have created a country unsuited to deal with the effects of climate change. Many communities, from the coast of Peru to Andean communities to communities in the Amazon rainforest, stand to suffer significantly from drought as glaciers melt, rain seasons become unpredictable, and groundwater reservoirs run dry. Many of these communities rely significantly on a stable water source, not simply to sustain life but to supplement local economic opportunity via agriculture, mining, and tourism. Of course, drought is not the only effect associated with climate change. The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires, the increasing unpredictability of temperatures, and unpredictable patterns of rain contributing to droughts and floods all pose a threat to communities all over Peru.

With this in mind, Green Heroes, which has been focused primarily on educating primary students at their first educational center, seeks to undertake the construction, operation, and maintenance of a second educational center focused on the education of secondary students. Through this center, students will expand beyond a basic understanding of environmental issues and dive deep into educational environmental narratives that will give them the knowledge to not only fully comprehend the threat climate change poses to their community but also give them the knowledge to respond. Discussing topics such as recycling, water conservation, waste management, clean energy, water management, and much more will ensure local communities in the Sacred Valley can not only adapt to climate change but thrive and succeed in the long term.

On a personal side, our names are Jonathan and Kevin, two college students from the United States who have had the opportunity to work with Green Heroes during our time in Peru. From the moment we arrived, everyone welcomed us with kindness and treated us like family, which immediately showed us how deeply this organization cares about its mission. Our work consists of physically engaging with the environment while also learning about it. While we’ve been able to contribute to both the physical development of the new learning site and the revamping of the current one, we also work alongside our coworkers, Javier and Cristóbal, to teach kids in Eco-Scouts, an after-school program on Mondays. They’re incredible teachers because they create lessons that are both entertaining and interactive, yet still deeply informative. Honestly, even when we’re supposed to be teaching the kids, we end up learning right alongside them because the classes are so engaging and fun. Although we only work on Mondays and Fridays, the entire team is committed to this project every day of the week, driven by a shared goal of inspiring youth to be active in creating a better future. Having lived in Peru for 2 and a half months, we’ve seen firsthand the effects of climate change and environmental neglect. Forest fires are spreading through the Andes, garbage is lining Urubamba’s streets, and the melting of nearby glaciers is occurring. These challenges feel far more visible and urgent here than they often do in the United States, where access to resources and infrastructure can make environmental issues feel distant. To support Green Heroes’ mission, we are helping fundraise for an $8,800 Augmented Reality Sandbox, a tool that will give students at the new site hands-on access to technology they’ve never experienced before, helping them understand complex environmental systems in a way that is both engaging and empowering.