Guest Author: Emma Frisch

– Emma Kirwan, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Peaks Over Poverty

Life in the Andes is harsh. 70 million people live in poverty, of which 44 million are rural people who rely on farming for survival. However, water demand, which is primarily used for agriculture, exceeds the available supply by 40% and is worsening with climate change.

Rural mountain people play a key role in preserving fragile highland ecosystems. The way they manage land and water directly impact human and environmental health for nearly half the world relying on mountain resources. The trickle-down effect; we’ve all heard of it before! This is precisely why Peaks Over Poverty was founded; to bring attention and critical resources to highland communities in Ecuador and worldwide.

Photo: Steve Sherwood

So how did we propose to do that? On a hike with my colleague Steve Sherwood (decked out in my hi-tec gear), it suddenly occurred to us. Continue reading →