June 2026

Summer 2026 Director’s Report

Dustin and I spent three wonderful weeks working in our three jungle communities. From sunrise to sunset, every day was filled with purpose, and the smiles, hugs, and heartfelt gratitude of the people we serve reminded us why this work matters so deeply.

We stayed at the Curassow Amazon Lodge, where owner Martin Da Silva Saavedra warmly welcomed us. When we arrived, all of our supplies were waiting. Martin had transported everything from Iquitos at the lodge’s expense—a generous contribution that made our work much easier.

Education and Sponsorship

June is one of the busiest and most important months for our educational program. During this trip, we distributed 140 school uniforms, physical education outfits, socks, underwear, leather school shoes, and backpacks filled with enough supplies for the entire academic year.

After receiving their backpacks, each child posed for an updated sponsor photograph and wrote a heartfelt thank-you letter sharing their accomplishments and the difference sponsorship has made in their lives. These letters continue to strengthen the special bond between each child and sponsor.

Each child also received a pair of rubber boots through the continued generosity of CJ Walters. In the Amazon, these boots are essential protection. We can only imagine how many children have avoided venomous snakebites and other injuries because of this thoughtful annual gift. Year after year, CJ’s support helps keep hundreds of children safer as they walk to school, play, and help their families with daily chores.

Jack and Jean Braman generously funded school supplies for six schools throughout the region. Their gift provided essential materials for hundreds of students and classroom resources for teachers who had received little or no supplies this year. The teachers expressed heartfelt gratitude for the meaningful difference Jack and Jean’s generosity has made.

Through our Sponsor-a-Senior Program, we have come to know a remarkable couple who have become very dear to everyone at the Nevada Building Hope Foundation. Mr. Angel, a lifelong farmer and fisherman, is living with a terminal illness and has lost his eyesight. He and his wife now face daily challenges with quiet strength and grace.

Thanks to their sponsor, we provided two rocking chairs where they can rest together while awaiting the construction of a new home. Their existing house had deteriorated to the point that it was no longer safe, but CJ Walters has generously funded a replacement so they can live with safety and dignity. Earlier this year, we also delivered food and essential household supplies to ease some of their daily burdens. Their love for one another and their deep gratitude remind us that even simple acts of kindness can bring hope and comfort during life’s most difficult seasons.

We also extend our sincere thanks to LuLaRoe Clothing, Cindy Lupo, and Ciara Pagoda for donating nearly fifty pounds of brand-new clothing. Their generosity brings joy and dignity to women throughout our jungle communities. I still maintain that we have the best-dressed ladies in the entire Amazon—their smiles say it all.

Mother Cabrini Medical Center

Dustin and I visited and photographed the proposed site of the Mother Cabrini Medical Center in Ayacucho Village. This spring, the project reached a major milestone when we received final approval from GERESA, the Regional Health Management of Loreto, clearing the way for construction to begin.

The medical center will be the first healthcare facility in the Ayacucho Village zone and will serve ten Amazon River communities. Families who currently travel hours by boat for even basic care will finally have essential services much closer to home. Once the facility is complete, the Peruvian government has committed to providing a physician, a nurse, and the medications needed to serve the surrounding communities.

The clinic will provide continuous primary care, support maternal and child health, and strengthen prevention, vaccination, and control programs for endemic diseases such as malaria, dengue, and leishmaniasis. Several beds will allow patients to be stabilized before transfer or supported during recovery from serious illness.

Access is especially urgent because the nearest clinic is across the Amazon River in Porvenir—a long, expensive, and sometimes impassable journey. During the dry season, river levels drop significantly, making travel in small boats difficult or impossible. Venomous snakebites from species such as the fer-de-lance and bushmaster are also a daily risk. Victims need antivenom quickly, yet trained personnel and supplies are not available in these communities, and travel to the nearest clinic can take up to eight hours.

This project represents years of planning, perseverance, and collaboration. It will help close critical health gaps and bring lifesaving care to thousands of people living along the Amazon River—a dream that is finally becoming a reality.

Community Growth and New Beginnings

One of the greatest joys of this trip was meeting my two new godchildren, Brianna and Jeramias, both just one month old. Holding these precious babies was a beautiful reminder of the hope and promise these communities hold.

Ayacucho, Junín, and San Juan continue to grow by leaps and bounds. We believe the opening of our high school has helped drive that growth by attracting young families from nearby river communities who want their children to receive a secondary education close to home. Next year will be especially exciting as six new children enter kindergarten. Watching these communities grow—and seeing more children begin their educational journeys—is a wonderful reminder of education’s lasting impact along the Amazon River.

Wildlife Rescue and Conservation

In June 2025, we rescued Bárbaro from being sold into the illegal wildlife trade. Today, he lives safely at the Curassow Amazon Lodge, where his curious personality and gentle nature bring smiles to everyone he meets. Each time we see him roaming freely, we are reminded that one act of compassion can truly change a life.

In February 2026, Dustin and I also rescued a nearly drowned and severely malnourished dog from the floodwaters surrounding Ayacucho Village. We named him Rocky and placed him in the loving care of our friend Dolybeth at The Point, the highest area of land near Ayacucho. Every three months, the Foundation provides large bags of dry dog food for Rocky and the many other dogs living there. In only four months, we have seen a remarkable improvement: the dogs have gained weight, their coats are healthier, and they are no longer constantly searching for food.

Rescue stories like Bárbaro’s and Rocky’s—and the many injured and displaced animals we have encountered over the years—have shown us the need for a dedicated wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility in the Peruvian Amazon.

Martin Da Silva Saavedra Animal Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Conservation Center

In partnership with Curassow Amazon Lodge, Amazon Jungle Expeditions Lodge, Nuevo Junín Village, ACRCTT (Área de Conservación Regional Comunal Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo), and RAREC (Rainforest Awareness, Rescue, and Education Center), the Nevada Building Hope Foundation is developing the Martin Da Silva Saavedra Animal Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Conservation Center in Nuevo Junín Village, Peru.

The center will rescue, treat, and rehabilitate injured, orphaned, displaced, and endangered wildlife and, whenever possible, release animals back into their natural habitat. It will also serve as a permanent educational center promoting wildlife conservation, environmental stewardship, responsible animal care, and sustainable living throughout the Amazon Basin.

The need is significant. Our communities border the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Regional Conservation Area, a region known for exceptional biodiversity and home to hundreds of species of mammals, primates, birds, fish, and other wildlife. Local residents are deeply committed to protecting this extraordinary ecological reserve.

The center has three primary objectives: to provide temporary shelter, medical care, and treatment for at-risk wildlife; to prioritize the protection and rehabilitation of threatened and endangered species; and to offer educational opportunities that help residents and visitors better understand wildlife conservation and responsible animal care.

The center will include a veterinary pantry stocked with dry dog food, vaccines, deworming medications, and other essential supplies to improve the health and welfare of local dogs and cats. We also plan to organize outreach clinics with veterinarians and veterinary students from Peru and around the world who will volunteer to provide examinations, vaccinations, parasite control, and spay and neuter surgeries. These clinics will help reduce unwanted animals, improve companion-animal health, and limit the spread of preventable diseases.

Mr. Abran Panduro, Mayor of Nuevo Junín Village, will receive specialized training to serve as the community’s first responder for injured, orphaned, or displaced wildlife. He will assess situations, provide immediate care when appropriate, and coordinate with Curassow Amazon Lodge and RAREC for transportation, treatment, and rehabilitation. This community-based system will improve response times while empowering local residents to become active stewards of the Amazon’s biodiversity.

We are especially honored to partner with ACRCTT, a protected conservation area managed and funded by the Regional Government of Loreto. Its expertise and commitment to preserving the Amazon’s unique ecosystems will be invaluable to the center’s success.

Not every day in the Amazon is spent working. Dustin, Jeramias, and I took one day to explore the rainforest and appreciate the beauty surrounding us. No matter how many times I visit, the towering trees, winding rivers, colorful birds, and abundant wildlife remain impossible to put fully into words.

Experiences like these inspired our new Voluntourism Program. Visitors can work alongside our team in the jungle communities while enjoying daily excursions led by experienced naturalists. Participants will learn about the Amazon’s plants, wildlife, and cultures while contributing to projects that are changing lives. It is an unforgettable journey combining service, education, adventure, and the opportunity to experience one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.

Every day of our June journey reminded us why we continue this work. Whether we were distributing school supplies, visiting seniors, playing with children, caring for animals, or simply sharing time with our communities, each moment reinforced the power of compassion and partnership.

Life was good along the Río Yanayacu—a place where simple acts of kindness create lasting change, friendships continue to grow, and we are reminded each day why the work of the Nevada Building Hope Foundation is so important. Thank you for making this work possible.

Barbara Land, Executive Director
The Nevada Building Hope Foundation
bland@unr.edu

Dustin Pinedo Gonzales, Director/Peru
The Nevada Building Hope Foundation
Dustinpg1612@gmail.com

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
Mother Cabrini 1850–1917