Irake Foundation is a registered non-profit organization in Peru committed to protecting and promoting Amazonian Indigenous knowledge, traditions, and cultural practices. We work closely with local communities, cultural specialists, and academic institutions to ensure that this heritage is preserved in an authentic, respectful, and sustainable way.
To safeguard Shipibo Indigenous cultural heritage through documentation, community collaboration, education, and research, ensuring its continuity for future generations.
Vision:
A world where Shipibo cultural knowledge is respected, accurately represented, and integrated into global academic, artistic, and social dialogue.
Our goal is to safeguard Shipibo culture at a time of rapid change and growing capitalistic and social pressure. This knowledge has been carried forward for generations, and now it needs practical support to make sure it doesn’t fade.
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Exchange
Irake Foundation is built on trust and on the reputation we’ve earned among our donors through years of commitment and hard work.
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TRUST
Ongoing learning from Shipibo elders is a steady source of inspiration. We are fortunate to still witness true masters of their craft, and we see it as our responsibility to ensure that their knowledge is preserved for future generations.
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Learning
Join us in our effort to improve quality of life for the Shipibo people, safeguard their culture, and build an intercultural dialogue that benefits everyone.
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Projects
Join us in our effort to preserve the time tested knowledge of Shipibo communities for this generation and the ones to come.
We have already purchased the first plot of land in Contamana thanks to your contributions.
Next step is the purchase of another plot and the start of construction of the cultural preservation center
Preserving the Lineage:
The continuity of Shipibo-Konibo medicine is at risk. Economic pressure currently forces many young community members into the labor market, preventing them from committing to the rigorous years of dieting required to become Onányas. As elders pass, we face a permanent break in this chain of knowledge.
We are intervening to establish a permanent educational hub in the Amazon designed to solve this gap. This center will function with a dual purpose:
For the Community: It creates a protected environment where young apprentices can train under elder maestros, supported financially so they can focus on the transmission of ancestral wisdom.
For the World: It provides international students a legitimate, respectful setting to study Amazonian plant medicine and culture.
This is an infrastructure project for cultural survival. Your contribution directly funds land acquisition, construction, and the essential training programs needed to ensure this healing system continues to function for the next generation.
Watch the video to see how we completed this project and brought water to families in Santa Rosa Community of Shipibo.
With the backing of our donor network, the first APL community infrastructure project is now fully operational.
Deliverables:
Clean water tank and pumping system installed
Sanitation blocks with showers constructed
Power generator integrated
Eco-friendly toilets deployed
The Result: Families now have immediate, private access to water and bathing facilities at home. This represents a fundamental upgrade in hygiene and daily living standards for the community.
Thank you for funding this tangible improvement in Amazonian infrastructure.
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Our projects
Shipibo Youth
Every time we visit the communities in Peru, we strive to bring clothing, toys, educational materials, and essential supplies.
If you're wiling to donate your belongings or new educational materials to our foundation, reach out to us via our email
In Santa Rosa de Dinamarca, with support from the Mayor and Maestro Pepe, we rebuilt the community camp.
8 huts fully refurbished
1 communal space rebuilt
a new water tower installed
bathrooms constructed
The community can now host both locals and foreigners in a functional camp where they can learn about Shipibo culture and engage in traditional plant-medicine practice.
Fantastic experience! I was really pleased with the quality and attention towards the customer! I will definetely recommend you to all my friends and acquaintances!
President
Aleksandar Slobodyan
I am very happy with this company and the services provided. This wonderful team of professionals helped me carry out the project. It was a pleasure working with them, so I really recommend this team!
Vice President
Boris Fainshtein
I just can’t express how much I was surprised with the quality. All my friends are your fans.
Secretary
Anna Zhukova
I just can’t express how much I was surprised with the quality. All my friends are your fans.
Vocal Member
Mik Sweeney
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Communities
Communities we work with
Tony and his family live in Contamana and preserving the knowledge of Shipibo people in the region helping Irake Foundation with an establishment of the Shamanic University.
Community of Contamana
Tony Lopez
Noe from the San Francisco community helps the Irake Foundation distribute basic supplies to young Shipibo students who lack essentials like clothes, books and pens.
Community of San Francisco
Noe Romero
Maestro Pepe, a respected elder from Santa Rosa, supports the Irake Foundation with the water project, the rebuilding of the community camp and the care of foster children.
Santa Rosa de Dinamorco
Pepe Vasquez
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Step by step
How we work
We follow a practical, community-centered process that keeps every project grounded in real needs, transparent coordination, and long-term cultural impact.
Each step is designed to ensure that decisions come from the people we serve, not from external assumptions. This is how Irake turns ideas into functioning projects on the ground.
Every project begins with direct conversations with local families, community elders, and cultural leaders. We identify what is needed, what has been attempted before, and what is realistically achievable in the region. Listening comes before planning.
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START WITH THE COMMUNITY
Once priorities are clear, we shape the project together with the community, our cultural advisors, and technical specialists in Peru. This includes feasibility checks, budget outlines, local logistics, and a clear definition of roles. Nothing moves forward without shared agreement.
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CO-DESIGN THE PROJECT
All work is carried out by local professionals, artisans, and community members. We supervise progress, address challenges quickly, and make sure that the project stays aligned with cultural values. Our involvement is supportive, not intrusive.
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IMPLEMENT WITH LOCALs
When the project is completed, we do not disappear. We monitor how the initiative is functioning, offer additional support when needed, and ensure that the community continues to benefit over time. Long-term commitment is a core principle of Irake’s work.
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FOLLOW UP AND SUPPORT
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Faq
What does Irake do in the communities?
Irake supports community-led cultural and social projects in the Peruvian Amazon. This includes restoring community infrastructure, improving access to basic needs such as water, supporting cultural education for youth, and assisting with documentation and preservation of Indigenous knowledge. Every project is initiated with the community and executed by local teams.
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How do you choose which projects to support?
Projects are chosen only after direct consultation with community leaders, families, and cultural advisors. We prioritize initiatives that come from the community itself, have long-term value, and can be implemented responsibly with local resources. Irake never imposes outside ideas or agendas.
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How is funding used?
All funding goes directly toward project materials, local labor, transportation, and community needs related to the initiative. We operate with full transparency and keep administrative costs minimal. Each project is documented and monitored to ensure accountability.
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Do you work with outside researchers or organizations?
Yes. Irake collaborates with universities, cultural institutions, NGOs, and independent researchers who operate respectfully and follow ethical guidelines. We provide local context, connect them with community leaders when appropriate, and ensure that any collaboration benefits the community first.
