Located in Rio Branco, the capital of Acre and a historic port city that serves as a gateway to the Amazon bioregion, the House of Cultures (Casa das Culturas) has been a sanctuary for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), urban youth and avant garde groups for decades. It offers educational intercultural programs, and a space to celebrate and preserve their heritage. This centre hosts workshops on traditional arts, music, healing practices, rituals, orientation support, and environmental stewardship. It aims to become a creative hub and a point of entry and exit for local and international visitors to and from the Amazon rainforest.

Why This Campaign Matters:

GUARDIANS OF GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY. Indigenous peoples make up just 5% of the global population, yet they protect 80% of the world’s biodiversity and steward more than a quarter of the earth’s lands and seas. The Amazon rainforest, vital to our planet’s health, is home to these communities who possess invaluable traditional knowledge and cultural diversity and richness.

CHALLENGES OF URBANISATION. Urbanisation poses significant challenges to IPLC youth, including discrimination, loss of cultural roots, and lack of support from the government. These youth, who come from families that are guardians of the Amazon, face the risk of losing their cultural identity and heritage in urban settings.

A CRUCIAL SANCTUARY. Casa das Culturas will be a sanctuary for IPLC and Rio Branco youth, offering them a place to gather, work, study, and celebrate their rituals. It will also serve as a cultural hub for both national and international visitors to Rio Branco, fostering intercultural exchanges of knowledge and life experiences.

Impact of Your Donation:

SAFE SPACE FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGE: Your contribution will help create a welcoming space where Indigenous and local youth can engage in intercultural programs, educational workshops, orientation support, and creative activities that honour their heritage while helping them thrive in an urban environment.

SUPPORT FOR FUTURE STEWARDS: Funding will provide resources and programs that empower these youth to maintain their cultural identity and regenerative skills, ensuring that they continue to play a vital role in the stewardship of the Amazon’s biodiversity.

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT: Casa das Culturas will host workshops on traditional arts, music, healing practices, rituals, and environmental stewardship, allowing the youth to connect with their roots and share their culture with the broader community.

Help Us Reach Our First Fundraising Goal:

✅ SEEDING » $78K » Continued support of the House & Projects for a year.

✅ BUDDING » $150K » Purchase house, House team supporting basic house improvements and running educational programs at the House for 18 months.

✅ FLOWERING » $250K » Purchase house, House & EP team supporting basic house improvements and running intercultural, ethnobotanical, educational programs at the House and in the general Acre & Amazon region for 18 months.

✅ POLLINATING » $500K » Further develop the House as an Intercultural Eco-Lodge with Indigenous Cuisine Restaurant for locals and visitors, including an Ethnobotanical Garden, and Arts and Events Gallery and Museum spaces that promote Amazonian cultural and ethnobotanical legacies.

Your Impact at Every Level:

$20: Sponsorship for Workshop Attendance
Enables one individual to attend a workshop, helping them build skills, connect with cultural heritage, and strengthen community ties.
$150: Safe Access Through Reinforced Stairs
The current stairs to the garden patio are weather-worn and unstable, creating a safety hazard. Reinforced stairs will provide secure access for community members and visitors.
$500: Sustainable Waste Management System
A biodigester will be installed to manage waste in an environmentally responsible manner where the city doesn’t provide a system, supporting our commitment to regeneration.
$700: Potable Water System Installation
The old water system contains an unhealthy amount of iron, posing health concerns. A new potable water system will ensure safer, cleaner water for all.
$2,000: Patio Cover for Expanded Workshop Space
Indoor rooms at the House are small, limiting workshop capacity. A covered patio will create a larger gathering area, providing essential shade from the intense Amazon sun and shelter from frequent rains.

How You Can Help:

Our Tokens of Appreciation for You:

Your donation brings us closer to revitalizing the House of Cultures. For contributions of $1,000 or more, we’d be honored to send a Token of Appreciation—a symbolic gift from the Amazon, in recognition of your generosity.

💝 $10K or more » Amazon Expedition or Gift an Expedition Scholarship*, PLUS the El Puente Amazon Photobook

💝 $5K - $10K » El Puente Amazon Photobook

💝 $1K - $5K » El Puente Amazon Art Water bottle

* If this option is chosen, $2500 of donations of $10K or more will go to the expenses of the Amazon Expedition.

We Call You To Action:

By contributing to this campaign, you are directly supporting the preservation of the Amazon, its cultures, and its future generations. Your donation will help secure the facility, hire dedicated staff, and run programs that empower IPLC youth to thrive without losing their identities. Together, we can create a leading example of an intercultural sanctuary where the rich traditions and wisdom of Indigenous communities are preserved and celebrated within an urban setting.

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About El Puente Foundation

Building intercultural bridges for a thriving planet.

El Puente - meaning "the bridge" in Spanish - is a charitable foundation supporting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), with the protection and regeneration of their landscapes and ecosystems. We are an intercultural bridge founded on the pillars of Sovereignty, Regeneration, Education and Reciprocity. Our aim is to develop resiliency at a local and global level by protecting land and establishing sustainable projects and enterprises focused on biocultural preservation and ecological restoration.

El Puente Pillars

We are implementing a four-pillar approach: Sovereignty, Regeneration, Education, and Reciprocity, to address and reverse the ecological, climate, and health crises. This approach supports Indigenous-led conservation, regeneration, and restoration projects aimed at restoring self-sustaining ecosystems to their natural, flourishing state. In order to do this effectively, we must nurture healthy relationships between people of all cultures and the ecosystems that sustain us.

Learn more about El Puente Foundation's Pilot Projects and Amazon Expeditions here.

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Save the House of Cultures

By El Puente Foundation

Save the House of Cultures

Revitalise an Indigenous and local urban sanctuary for the flourishing of intercultural expression and environmental stewardship.