A’i Cofán Sinangoe Community Organisation (Sinangoe)

The community live in a territory stretching into the headwaters of the Aguarico River. The Aguarico – a tributary to the Napo River, which is a tributary to the Amazon River – is home to some of the highest levels of biodiversity and old-growth forest in the region. The Aguarico supports a vast diversity of species of birds, mammals, plants, and freshwater fish, as well providing the main source of food for over 50 families. The Sinangoe Community have lived in the region for thousands of years and are dedicated to protecting their ancestral homeland and ways of life.

© A’i Cofán Sinangoe Community Organisation

In 2018, Sinangoe won a historic trial against four Ecuadorian ministries and agencies for having granted or attempted to grant more than 30,000 hectares of mining concessions without their consent. This case led to the Sinangoe precedent being established by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court in 2022, ruling that the Ecuadorian state and all other actors, have the obligation to obtain the consent of the affected communities before undertaking oil, mining, or other extractive projects, based on Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination. 

 Yet, despite their legal victories, the Aguarico remains under threat from extractive practices. The community has since established an ‘Indigenous guard’– a team of volunteers who patrol the territory and collect evidence of illegal mining activities. 

 Sinangoe also sustains existing and creates new sustainable livelihood options for the community: they are running an aquaculture project to increase food security, and have begun efforts to support eco-tourism within their territory.  

 Furthermore, Sinangoe has worked with the community’s Women’s Association to deliver training programmes to strengthen female leadership within the community. Synchronicity Earth has supported the Sinangoe Community since 2023 as a part of the Freshwater Programme.