Our story
How it started
Since 2017, our founder has been actively engaged with indigenous women to understand their unique challenges and learn from their experiences. As a trained linguist, Norma immersed herself in the communities where she cultivated deep relationships, gained firsthand insights that helped shape and strengthen the foundation’s programs and initiatives.
In 2019, Norma and Makarena, bounded by a deep sense of purpose and a desire to make a meaningful impact on indigenous communities in Chimborazo, recognized the urgent need to formalize their work and create a sustainable platform to empower indigenous communities. They started a remarkable journey together, channeling their collective energy, skills, and resources into the creation of NUKARI Foundation.
2018
Women and Sustainable Development Goals Workshop
The workshop “Indigenous Women and the Sustainable Development Goals”, conducted by Norma Ureña, was organized in partnership with Guanchuro Foundation and the German Institute for International Cooperation of the Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (DVV).
It recognized the unique challenges indigenous women face and the importance of including their perspectives and experiences in sustainable development efforts. Indigenous women have deep knowledge of their ecosystems, traditional practices, and cultural heritage, which can contribute significantly to achieving the SDGs.
NUKARI's SDGs aligned with the goal of empowering indigenous women
2019
NUKARI FOUNDATION
In the year 2019, the International Year of Indigenous Languages, the visionary minds of Norma Ureña and Makarea Freire came together to establish NUKARI Foundation.
Norma and Makarea recognized that education, economic empowerment, and community engagement were key pillars that could pave the way for sustainable development in indigenous communities in Ecuador. They envisioned NUKARI as an organization that would address these pillars holistically, combining targeted initiatives and collaborative partnerships to create lasting and transformative impact.
Mission
Vision
