One of the reasons I came to Ecuador is to work as an intern with El Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia (the Amazon Defense Front). I am passionate about the environment and the preservation of the world’s true beauty and am thrilled to have this experience. The Frente helps restore the Ecuadorian rainforest and is the advocate for indigenous people whose communities have been polluted by a huge oil company. More than ten years ago, Texaco, which had drilled for oil in the Ecuadorian jungle for decades, left without cleaning up its mess, leaving toxic waste pits that were completely unremediated. ChevronTexaco's mess led to oil leaving into the rivers, the water that the communities drink and wash in, ultimately causing cancer, deformation and death in the local indigenous communities, and killing plans and animals in the rich ecosystem of the jungle.
My current task is to be their youth social networker. I am creating accounts on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, getting the real truth out about the damage to the rainforest and the indigenous communities here, and how people can get involved. I love this organization. Its energy and mission inspire me.