Overview
The initial work of Kaya Foundation targeted the impoverished Napo region in Ecuador. In this region, the Rainforest is being destroyed by rampant deforestation and sale of timber. Due to the economic conditions, the farmers had little choice but to extract and sell the Rainforest timber to survive. This practice irreparably damages the Rainforest ecosystem including the plants and animals that live in it. s3d worked alongside Kaya to conduct research, interview farmers to further understand the obstacles facing the region and provide video/photographic documentation. Once the ethnography phase was complete s3d helped Kaya build a design infrastructure, develop a business plan and secure funding. Our results provided the farmers in the region an alternative funding source that allowed them to provide for their families.