Many historical barriers for indigenous women remain today, such as land and resource rights, access to formal education, and full and effective participation in decision-making processes.
Sofia Wisum is 18 years old and comes from the Cocoashi community of the Awajun people. She has three sisters and is the first to study a technical degree. She wants to become a nurse so she can get ahead in life.
Leader Zoila Ochoa from the Murui BUEE community has established a school in Centro Arenal, where she not only teaches the Murui BUEE language and traditions, but also empowers girls to face an unequal world shaped for men. Iquitos, Amazonas.
In the native community of Shampuyacu, a group of women concerned about the fate of their culture and the loss of their traditions decided to take the initiative to protect the forest. They created the Nuwas Forest, a natural laboratory where wisdom is not only preserved but also repowered. They have more than 130 medicinal plants. They have rescued 42 varieties of cassava, planted different types of ginger, and cultivated a robust list of medicinal plants, such as toe, ayahuasca, etc.
In recent years, the leadership of women in the Amazon has become increasingly prominent despite the conventional norms deeply rooted in their communities. More and more women are emerging with a determined character, assuming leadership roles, facilitating decision-making, building networks between communities, and leading actions in defense of the territory and ancestral ways of life. Latin America is one of the regions with the highest number of murders of environmental leaders due to the presence of illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal logging, human trafficking, and land trafficking. However, communities resist with determination despite the absence of state protection mechanisms, constantly putting their lives at risk. This work shows different portraits of women leaders from the Peruvian Amazon from the Yanesha, Awajun, Murui BUUE, and Matsigenka peoples, who show an unwavering conviction to defend their cultures and their peoples. This project is a testament to their strength and determination. Cecilia Martinez, leader of the Yanesha people, recognizes that her identity as an indigenous woman gives her a unique and valuable perspective. She is standing at a waterfall, which is a sacred place in her community. Location: Oxapampa province, Peru.
Maria Ochoa, 18, is the youngest daughter of leader Zoila Ochoa from the Murui BUUE community in Amazonas, Peru. She assists her mother at the school where she teaches the Murui BUEE language and works with her on reforestation efforts in the forest.
Nelyda Entsakua. Leader of the Awajun community of Shimpiyacu. She leads the Nugkui association, which brings together 40 women. This organization, based on the principle of mutual aid, seeks to improve the living conditions of women and adolescents in her community. She trains Awajun women in sustainable tourism, agricultural management and production, crafts, and finance. San Martin region, Peru.
Gabriela with her mentor Susana in the community of Koribeni. Women play a key role in managing their territories and in community organization, which is why they are involved in conservation and restoration processes and in generating economic opportunities for the sustainable development of the Amazon.
Gabriela Loaiza, Matsigenka leader. She has begun to collect information about the Matsigenka history and worldview from the wise men and elders of her people. She visits them and records their conversations. She says that they have to tell their own story.
In recent years, women’s leadership in the Amazon has become increasingly prominent. Despite the conventional norms deeply rooted in their communities, more and more women are emerging with a determined character, assuming leadership roles, facilitating decision-making, weaving networks between communities, and leading actions in defense of the territory and ancestral ways of life.
Latin America is one of the regions with the highest number of murders of environmental leaders, due to the significant presence of illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal logging, human trafficking, and land trafficking. However, communities are resisting with determination despite the absence of state protection mechanisms, constantly putting their lives at risk.
For more than a decade, I have worked in the Peruvian Amazon documenting these struggles. I have had the privilege of accompanying several leaders of the Yanesha, Shipibo-Konibo, Murui Buue, Matsigenka, and Awajún peoples, who have taught me tenderness, a deep connection to inherited knowledge, and, above all, a strong character and an unwavering conviction to defend their cultures and their people. This project is a testament to the strength and determination of these women. These images were taken in different locations in the Peruvian Amazon between 2023 and 2025.
