Los Achuar de la Amazonía Peruana
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Nantip Manolo Kunchim (right), age 19, of the community of Washintas, and Tumin Victor Maatis (left), age 20, of the community of Churus, are Achuar students currently studying in Lima to become secondary school teachers.
According to Nantip Manolo:
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, because in our community there are no Achuar professors in the secondary school. That’s why I want to study secondary education, so I can contribute to a better future for my people.”
Because Nantip Manolo and Tumin Victor were good students in high school, ATI and ORACH (the Achuar organizations in Loreto) chose them to be among four young people to study education.
They are studying in Marcelino Champagnat University in Lima, in the first year of a seven-year education program. They left for Lima in January, and returned to their communities in March. They will leave for Lima again in August for a week of exams.
While in their communities, they assist with teaching in the secondary schools. In December they will return to Lima for three months to begin their second year of studies.
Of student life in Lima, they say:
"After finding an apartment, they helped us get organized. So little by little, we’re getting used to it.
They enjoy their studies. Says Tumin Victor:
"Next year I’ll specialize in mathematics, because it’s the course I like most.”
When Nantip Manolo and Tumin Victor finish their studies, two more students will be granted scholarships to study education.