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Mission Statement

The primary mission of the Nevada Building Hope Foundation (NBHF) is to improve the lives of the people living in Ayacucho, San Juan de Yanayacu and Junin Villages. These communities are located on the Rio Yanayacu, a tributary of the Amazon River.

Our Story

Barbara Land, Executive Director and Board President of the Nevada Building Hope Foundation, has been working in Iquitos, Peru, and the Peruvian Amazon rainforest since 2007. She has worked with several nonprofit organizations in both the United States and Peru, providing educational programs, humanitarian aid and relief to this remote part of the world.

In 2016, Barbara and Jhonathan Erik Rodriquez Macuyama founded the Nevada Building Hope Foundation (NBHF) following a community meeting in Ayacucho Village. The residents expressed that the presence of NBHF brought a renewed sense of hope to the community. Inspired by this sentiment, the foundation was born—its name a reflection of the belief that meaningful change begins with hope.

The Nevada Building Hope Foundation is dedicated to fostering sustainable development, advancing educational opportunities, and promoting community opportunities. We work in close partnership with the local communities of Ayacucho Village, San Juan de Yanayacu, and Junin Village, to ensure that every initiative reflects the voices, needs, and aspirations of the people we serve. Our efforts are grounded in mutual respect, collaboration, and the unwavering belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to thrive.

In addition, NBHF supports protecting the Amazon rainforest; not just for the environment, but for the health of our entire planet. It plays a huge role in keeping our climate stable, supports an incredible range of plant and animal life, and is home to many communities who depend on it every day.

The Nevada Building Hope Foundation (NBHF) is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization recognized by the United States government.

 

J B and Dustin Firefly

Nevada Building Hope Foundation Completed Projects:

  • Constructed the Women’s Artisan House and dock in Ayacucho Village.
  • Provided women’s artisan workshops and training.
  • Started the Sponsor a Child program, which provides a child with all their educational needs for one year.
  • Constructed the first high school in Ayacucho Village.
  • Purchased all school supplies and equipment for six schools.
  • Sponsored art and dance workshops.
  • Provided $40,000 in COVID relief for all three communities.
  • Purchased school boats USS Dani 1 and USS Dani 2, USS Dani 2/12
  • Provided funds to purchase dry dog food during the high water season.
  • Funded construction for the first clean water system in San Juan de Yanayacu.
  • Completed construction of the teacher’s house in San Juan de Yanayacu.
  • Started the Sponsor a Senior program, providing local seniors with all of their food and living needs for one year.
  • With funding from The White Feather Foundation, provided $40,000 COVID relief for all three communities.

    Future Nevada Building Hope Foundation Projects

    • Ayacucho Village Teacher’s House
    • San Juan de Yanayacu Medical Post and Animal Refuge Center
    • Ayacucho Clean Water Project
    • Elders Oral History Pilot Project

     

    2025 Nevada Building Hope Foundation Board Members

    Barbara Land – Peru and USA/Board President and CEO
    Dustin Pinedo Gonzales – Peru/Director NBHF Peru
    Lucinda Peralta – Treasurer, Peru /Education Director and Building Administrator
    Lacey Loveland – Peru/Medical Support
    Bailey Ahn – Peru/Ayacucho High School Founder/HS Administrator
    Maksym Taran – Peru/Ayacucho High School Founder/HS Administrator
    Dani Aizenman – Peru/Medical and Grand Amazon Team Lodge Manager
    Erinn Richards – Vice President, Peru and USA /Founding Director/Administrator
    Rosemary Wright – Peru /Medical/Water Project Director
    Maryan Tooker – Historian, Content Creator, and Website Manager
    Linda Groves – Fundraising Coordinator
    Marcene Rebeck – Traditional Midwife/Montessori Educator
    Jhonathan Erik RM – Peru/Anthropologist (Founding Board Member)
    Gladys Pilar Elliott – Peruvian Projects Advisor

    Advisory Board of Directors/Peru

    Martin Dasilva Saavedra
    Brus Luis Tejada Joya
    Sorella Melina Salazar Braga
    Percy Abraham Chung,
    Silvia Rosa Zumaeta del Aguilla

    Where in Peru Are We?

    Ayacucho Village and its neighboring communities are remote river villages situated along the Tipishka and Yanayacu Rivers, tributaries of the Amazon. These villages are approximately eight hours by speedboat from Iquitos City. The people living in this part of the rainforest are among the poorest in the world. They rely primarily on subsistence farming and fishing, with little or no income, and have minimal access to the goods and services of nearby cities. The communities face constant challenges in meeting their basic needs.

    • Ayacucho Village: 154 residents, 76 children attending school
    • San Juan de Yanayacu: 127 residents, 59 children attending school
    • Junín Village: 14 residents, six children attending school

    These communities are located near the buffer zone of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a protected area of the Amazon River floodplain, making their isolation even more pronounced.