From the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, in the native community of Arenal Center, a young, firm and luminous voice emerges: that of Maria de Jesus Gatica Ochoa, a 20-year-old indigenous woman from the town Murui Bue, located in the jurisdiction of Apostolic Vicariate of Iquitos. Indigenous communicator, correspondent for Radio Ucamara and a teacher at an autonomous school in her community, María represents the face of a new generation that passionately assumes the commitment to defend the territory, culture, and the right to water as a common and sacred good.
His testimony is intertwined with his active participation in the International Postgraduate Diploma in Integrated Water Governance, Regulation and Management, developed by the International Water Programme (ACQUAS) of the Institute for Global Dialogue and the Culture of Encounter, with the support of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA).
Learn to defend, train to transform
For María, this diploma represents much more than an academic experience. It’s an empowering tool to serve her people. “The courses open our eyes to a broader reality. They teach us that water is not just a resource, but a right. In our communities, we often don’t know how to demand this right, which authorities to turn to, or how to do so formally. This diploma gives us the keys to doing so on a legal basis and with knowledge,” she shares.
Her community faces significant challenges: access to drinking water remains limited, and although natural sources exist, they are located in remote locations. María recounts how a water plant project has been put on hold due to administrative procedures, affecting more than 11 communities. “It’s urgent to push for its implementation, because without drinking water, life itself is at risk,” she says.
In that sense, its objective is clear: Return to your community with practical tools and applied knowledge to contribute to real solutions“I don’t want what I’m learning to stay with me. I want to share it, implement it, demand what’s ours, and support other young people so they can join in.”
Communicator, educator and defender of the territory
Beyond her role as a student, María de Jesús lives a comprehensive commitment to her community. As Indigenous communicator and correspondent for Radio Ucamara, amplifies the voices of the Amazonian peoples and documents their struggles. In addition, teaches at the Murui Bue Charter School, where he shares not only his native language, but also ancestral knowledge, leadership principles, and environmental education. “School is a space to strengthen our identity and care for who we are. I teach young people to value the land, water, forests… if we don’t cultivate these values today, the future will be very uncertain,” he says.
His role as young indigenous leaderIt’s not just a title, but a daily practice: she organizes meetings with young people, promotes environmental campaigns, and actively participates in community outreach. Her leadership has been forged through concrete action, especially in times of environmental crisis, when defending the land cannot wait.
Indigenous spirituality and water defense
María’s perspective integrates the spiritual, cultural, and ecological dimensions of water. “For us, as Indigenous peoples, water is not just for drinking. It’s sacred. It’s part of life, of the balance of the land. When we defend water, we defend the soul of our community,” she says.
Her community lives near the Amazon River, which is threatened by illegal mining and pollution. María warns: “If the river is polluted, Iquitos would be left without water. And not just us: millions of people. When Indigenous peoples speak out, we do so for everyone, not just our communities. Water flows; it doesn’t stay in one place.”
From this awareness, Maria considers that the voice of the Amazonian peoples must be heard at all levels: local, national and international.“We can provide solutions, ancestral knowledge, and warnings. But to do that, we need spaces where we are truly heard.”
Youth that sows hope
In the midst of contexts marked by exclusion, pollution, and institutional neglect, María represents a living force of transformation. Her leadership does not seek individual prominence, but rather to form a generational change that will continue the path of struggle, organization, and defense of life. “Maybe one day I won’t be here, but another young person will take over. That’s why my greatest joy is seeing more young people rising up, studying, organizing, loving their culture, and defending nature.”
A Church on the move and with an Amazonian face
From CEAMA, the support for leaders like María de Jesús expresses the commitment to a Synodal Church, on the move, with an indigenous and Amazonian face, which accompanies the cries of the earth and its peoples. ACQUAS’s training process seeks precisely that: to strengthen capacities, develop leadership, and promote the care of water as a common good, a human right, and a gift from God.
“Water is life, and those without it live in great difficulty. That’s why, today more than ever, we must learn, organize, and act. And I’m here, eager to continue learning, to continue fighting, to continue dreaming of communities where we can all have clean water, health, dignity, and a future.“, concludes María de Jesús, her heart burning with hope.
