When the group of four met on this week we were treated to a slide show from some real eco-tourists. The aunt and uncle of one of our families brought slides and photos from their trip to Ecuador. They spent a week staying in an ecotourism resort on the Napo River and were able to describe many details of their stay for us. We saw slides of the accomodation and furniture at the resort, all made from locally available materials. There were many pictures showing us the size of the trees and other plantlife. We saw some of the local animals and birds, but apparently you needed to get up for the 3am breakfast before heading out to do some serious bird watching. It was very interesting and helpful to see pictures and hear about first hand experiences.

After viewing the slide show we began round two. The ecotourism team had some new ideas to discuss before making proposals to the villagers. Most of the farmers were pleased to have made a little more money from their crops and an educational rebate. There are a few farmers who are still struggling to meet their financial commitments. Everyone seems to be keen on the tourism project but for different reasons. There is a definitely a “monopoly” mentality appearing in some of the participants, they are looking for the best way to make the most money. The village members had a meeting before our session closed and voted to pour most of the first round’s ecotourism profits back into the project for the construction of bird watching platforms on a huge tree, something they saw in the slide show. The remainder of the profits will be divided between all the village members.

When we meet next week we are thinking it might be good to involve everyone in the process of allocating income. Last time a few farmers avoided growing coffee, the crop with the highest return, as they thought everyone would grow it. This meant that there was not a surplus and those who had grew it benefitted. The children are talking together and making joint decisions about eco-tourism but do not seem to have thought about approaching farming in the same way.

Last week I wrote about the first week of our new group of four. We met again yesterday to continue our simulation game based in a farming village in the Ecuadorian rainforest. The children are beginning to role play a little more. The session started with more discussion about the possibility of beginning an Eco-tourism project and the eco-tourism specialists were asked to address a village meeting so questions could be asked and proposals be voted on.

The village members voted to try the eco-tourism project and the with the help of the specialists were able to raise the initial investment money. Some of the children are keen to try eco-tourism because they are concerned about the rainforest, but many are simply hoping it will be more lucrative than farming. As the adults discussed the session afterwards we wondered if some people are so poor that thinking environmentally is not a luxury they can afford.

The eco-tourism specialists asked for two workers to join their team and run the project with them. Six out of the eight farmers applied and were given thirty seconds to say why they would be the best choice. Those chosen then had to change their farming plans as they would be working full time with the eco-tourism project. Final decisions were made and round one ended. The children spent some time making clay sculptures and eating South American snacks while the mums calculated each player’s income for the “first year”. Income included money from crops, return on eco-tourism investment, wages for the eco-tourism workers and an education rebate for those who had their children in school.

The feedback we, as mums, are getting from the children is positive and the development in the discussion shows us that the children are beginning to consider the implications of their decisions on the village as well as their own families. The children are very keen to know how they went financially but they will have to wait until the beginning of round two.