Date of Workshop: August 18 -19, 2017

Workshop Coordinator: Marlene Soriano

Puquio, located in the Indigenous territory of TCO Lomerío in Gran Chiquitania, Bolivia, is part of a region that includes multiple communities. The population of El Puquio is 369, with other communities ranging from 85 to 333 residents. The residents belong to the Monkoxi ethnic group and live in an area dominated by the Chiquitano Dry Forest and the Cerrado ecosystem.

The main livelihoods in these communities include small-scale cattle ranching, shifting cultivation, timber harvesting, and the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Despite the variety of activities, the communities' dependency on the forest for their livelihoods is relatively low. However, forest resources have been harvested primarily for domestic consumption in recent years.

A major issue facing these communities is the high out-migration of youth due to poor infrastructure, limited access to specialized jobs, and scarce opportunities for further education. Historically, the Indigenous territory of Lomerío has had significant experience with forest management for timber harvesting, but the logging permits were revoked due to poor governance and non-compliance with management rules. Today, local NGOs are supporting the Indigenous territory in building capacity to improve forest governance and lobbying for forest norms and legislation that better align with Indigenous and local community needs.

Despite the challenges, the youth in Puquio remain deeply connected to their community's needs. During a youth workshop, when asked about their "dream jobs," many young people spoke about aspirations rooted in service to their community. Fabiola, for example, shared: "My biggest dream is to be a teacher because I see the need for education in my hometown, and also because my father is a teacher. He motivates me to follow in his footsteps, and I enjoy it as well. I want to specialize and pursue a Master's degree so I can keep studying and 'be someone' in this life."

As part of the workshop, coordinator Marlene Soriano invited a local leader to speak. He shared insights about the power of will, the community's struggles to become a legally recognized institution, their development needs, and his personal motivation to work for the benefit of their territory rather than for external organizations.