In the rushing waters of the Jatunyacu River, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, a group of boys and girls has decided to turn play into a mission, sports into a cause, and childhood into hope. They call themselves Yaku Churis, which in the Kichwa language means “children of the river,” and from their daily reality, they are defending the life of their territory.
With their colorful kayaks, they traverse the jungle not only to learn a sport, but to care for the water, protect the jungle, and raise their voices against the threats that today endanger their home.
Paddling to Care for Our Common Home
The initiative began three years ago, spearheaded by Diego Robles, a professional kayaker, who saw the river as a school of life for the next generation. What started as a sporting activity has become a comprehensive educational process.
Boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17: they learn kayaking techniques; receive training in environmental conservation; develop community leadership; participate in recycling and carpentry; and reflect on the threats to their territory.
Every paddle stroke is also an act of care. During their trips, they collect trash, monitor water quality, and closely observe the impacts of mining and pollution.
“We’re raising children who are athletes, but also conscious of caring for the resources that sustain their lives,” explains Robles.
A generation growing up with awareness
For these Amazonian children, the river isn’t just a physical space: it’s part of their identity. They’ve grown up in its waters, learned from it, and now defend it.
Maikel Andi, one of the group’s first members, puts it plainly:
“When we go down rivers where there are mines, it makes me sad because they’re destroying all of nature.”
The contrast is stark. Where once there were crystal-clear waters, today a polluted river often flows, affected by the expansion of mining and urban growth.
However, faced with this reality, the Yaku Churis do not give up. They paddle together, train together, and dream together.
Education from the Community
The project goes beyond sports. Each gathering is also a learning experience where human and community skills are strengthened.
The children learn to work as a team; they lose their fear of speaking up; they discover new life opportunities; and they prepare for sustainable economic alternatives such as community-based tourism.
Some are already training to become rafting guides, demonstrating that it is possible to build a future without resorting to extractive models that destroy the rainforest.
“As young people of the river, the healthiest path for them is to access these opportunities,” notes Robles.
Childhoods Pointing to a Different Path
The Yaku Churis represent a new Amazonian generation: conscious, committed, and deeply connected to their territory.
Amid challenges such as mining, pollution, and the loss of ecosystems, their story becomes a sign of hope.
They do not merely dream of competing in sports or reaching the Olympic Games. Their greatest longing is to see their rivers free, alive, and protected.
A Sign for the Church in the Amazon
The experience of the “children of the river” profoundly challenges the Amazonian and universal Church. In them is embodied the integral ecology proposed by Pope Francis’s magisterium:
- The care of water as a source of life.
- The defense of the territory as a sacred space.
- The formation of new generations committed to this cause.
- The integration of culture, education, and nature.
These children remind us that the defense of our Common Home is not only the task of experts or leaders, but also of children who, in their simplicity, teach us to love, care for, and protect.
With every stroke of their paddles, the Yaku Churis proclaim that another future is possible.
- One where the river is not exploited, but respected.
- One where the jungle is not destroyed, but celebrated.
- One where future generations inherit not crisis, but hope.