ANDEAN ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

AASD Mission: Harnessing collective intelligence to support community-led development in the highlands of Peru.

Aaron EbnerExecutive DirectorQuick Bio: Aaron has been coming to Peru since 2006 and does a great job of managing our community relationships. He is heavily involved in our agriculture programs, as well as the research. Over time he has realized that geography effects everything in this region and has taken the lead on incorporating GIS into all of our programs. He loves living in the Sacred Valley and wouldnt trade anything for the quality of life his job provides.

AASD Staff

Marina FlevotomasClimate Change Expert and Outreach

Quick Bio: Marina is a sociologist, human and environmental rights activist and artist from Greece. She is also an original member of Team Peru and the AASD. She blesses us with her presence every couple

years, and in 2015 we had her for the entire year! Marina has been a huge resource as we move forward investigating climate change in the region, and we are already awaiting her next return to Peru.

Gaelen HayesExperiential Learning Program Manager

Quick Bio: Gaelen first came to the AASD in 2014 as a graduate student conducting research with Team Peru. She returned to Peru the following year to complete her thesis work, and just never left! Now her role is crucial in developing our Experiential Learning

Programs, and additionally ensuring that everything at the office is running smoothly.

Adam StieglitzDirector of Operations

Quick Bio: As a founder of the AASD Adam is passionate about making sure the organization continues to grow and remains innovative in the field of international development. He is passionate about creating a model for experiential learning that adds equal value to both students and local communities. He loves the

peaceful lifestyle of the Sacred Valley and feels right at home here in the mountains.

Chris MillerDirector of Organizational Development and Agriculture ProgramsQuick Bio: Chris is working hard on the agriculture projects to make sure they are representative of the needs and realities of the communities. He is also always making sure that the programs bring tangible and intangible benefits to community members. He is in charge of coordinating with local stakeholders and making sure that our programs can be replicated to impact the lives of as many people as possible.

Julio Cesar Nina CusiyupanquiLead Agriculture TechnicianQuick Bio: Julio has worked with the organization for many years, however this year he became a full time staff member. Julio is a brilliant farmer and connects with local farmers and students in a way that nobody else can. He can fix just about any agriculture related challenge and is always willing to help out a fellow farmer. He is also very knowledgeable about both modern and traditional agriculture practices and will add a lot of value to our upcoming research endeavors.

Ruben Huaman QuispeAgriculture Advisor and Community Representative

Quick Bio: Ruben has been part of the AASD family since the very beginning. He always makes himself available to help out the organization, whether it be facilitating local workshops, leading a

student research team or translating between english, spanish and quechua. Ruben just returned from a 9 month stay in the United States where he was an apprentice on an organic farm in Massachusetts.

Rachel WorthingtonCommunity Programs and Outreach ManagerQuick Bio: Rachel is a new addition to our team and is excited to be back in the Sacred Valley after studying abroad in Cusco six years ago. Whether it is working on our agriculture projects, developing new project ideas from our research or connecting AASD with local NGOs and businesses, Rachel is always busy trying to get the AASDs name out there and our projects and ideas on the map.

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

As a social change organization we are often asked to measure the outputs of our projects in order to prove whether or not they are successful. People want to hear how many greenhouses did you build? or how many portions of vegetables were students served? before making a judgment on how impactful we are as an organization. While it may be somewhat intuitive to measure success in that fashion, the AASD does not believe it is so simple.While the AASD can (and does) measure the tangible outcomes of our programs, we additionally emphasize the importance of those that are intangible. For example, to what degree is a community taking ownership of their project? How much does a community trust the AASD to actually help them address a local challenge? These are the types of concepts that we attribute to long-term success and weigh equally as important as the effects we see on a day-to-day basis. As we look back at 2015 and consider the types of impact we are having both current and lasting we can conQidently say that this was a successful year.This year our signature Agriculture Initiative continued to thrive and become reQined as a model that will lead to the long-term impact we aim to achieve. In the community of Ccachin this was made evident by a community decision to donate an entire plot of land to the schools garden program. The AASD was pleased to support the extension of this program by contributing seeds, labor and capacity building. Now, the school and community are both eating and selling as many vegetables as they desire. In 2015, in addition to our school greenhouse program, the AASD supported 10 families in the construction of their own greenhouses. While this in itself is an accomplishment, we are most proud of the fact that it was achieved under each individuals drive and volition.It is not easy to gain the community trust and buy-in that we know are key elements of successful development projects. As an organization the most important thing we can do is spend time in local communities and try to understand the realities and challenges people face. The AASD Experiential Learning program has become the means in which we do that. This year we partnered with various academic institutions, scholars and students to join our action research team in Peru and help us better understand the local reality we are immersed in. The analysis of our research is not so important for the sake of publishing articles, but rather to provide useful information to inform and improve our community programs. In a year where we ofQicially transcended the start-up phase we were left with many organizational successes to celebrate. Our staff doubled in size, we (Qinally) acquired an ofQicial ofQice space, we launched three new summer programs, and raised a record amount of revenue to support our programs. Our relationships with local communities and academic institutions have continued to blossom in a way that we can now focus on collaborating on a collective vision that aims to reinvent the way we view both development and higher education. We would like to thank all of you who have supported us throughout the years and we look forward to sharing our successes with you for years to come.Sincerely,Adam Stieglitz and Aaron EbnerBoard Members and Co-FoundersAndean Alliance for Sustainable Development

Agriculture Initiative

School Greenhouse & Garden Program

Spotlight: William Torres Rios Primary School Director, Ccachin

The AASD started working with William in 2012 in the extremely rural, high altitude community of Cochayoq. As school director he took it upon himself to organize the community and partner with the AASD to build a greenhouse. Last year William assumed the role of director in the larger community of Cacchin, and we have continued to support him. His creative and impactful endeavors include the outdoor garden mentioned above and his up and coming idea for creating a science and agriculture laboratory. It's easy to support motivated directors like this and together we are going to have a huge impact in these rural communities.

The AASD School Greenhouse and Garden Program continued to thrive and prosper in 2015. We remained supportive of schools in five different communities by helping them learn about greenhouse management, teaching their students and faculty about vegetable farming, and assisting in all of the maintenance involved in harvesting fresh, organic vegetables.

One of our biggest takeaways from this year has been the understanding of how important it is to partner with school directors that are passionate about the success of their greenhouse. We learned that school greenhouses are the most impactful when we can communicate and collaborate on ways to continue improving the program. For example, this year the community of Ccachin and the local school director William Torres Rios (see below) expressed the need for an outdoor garden to grow more vegetables for their lunch program. The community offered a communal plot of land if the AASD could help by providing seeds, tools and workshops. We thought this was a great idea. Together we organized a work day where parents, students, community members and the AASD staff all came together to prepare and plant nearly 50 outdoor beds and hundreds of vegetable plants. Today the garden is flourishing with broccoli, cauliflower, onion, carrots and beets - all being consumed by students and the community.

In addition to working with local communities, the AASD has continued to foster a partnership with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Qali Warma, the national school lunch program. These institutions aim to incorporate fresh vegetables into school lunches, and the AASD has committed to help them. In 2016, we will be training school directors and designing a curriculum for implementing organic gardens into their program. The AASD will also help redesign a portion of the regional school curriculum to include the importance of health, nutrition and garden maintenance.

Students from the community of Ccachin working together to maintain the schools new, outdoor garden

In 2013, fifteen families from the remote community of Maucau approached the AASD about helping them build their own greenhouses. Little did we know that this would turn into a principle endeavor for our organization. Since that day we have helped over thirty families build greenhouses and the trend has continued in 2015. This year we partnered with 10 new families from the communities of Pampallacta, Huamanchoque and Huama and supported them to grow vegetables for their families as part of our AASD Family Greenhouse Program.

This project requires a lot of work from the families who choose to participate. Each family is responsible for preparing the structure of their greenhouse, which typically includes laying a rock foundation, making bricks, and building the walls so that it is ready for roofing. This takes plenty of time and dedication on their end, and the AASD is happy to reward their hard work with heavy duty plastic and other materials necessary for roofing. Once a greenhouse is built, farmers who could typically only grow potatoes are now able to provide their families with tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, lettuce, carrots and beets.

In addition to providing a well balanced diet, family greenhouses also offer the opportunity for farmers to sell surplus harvests at local markets. The AASD is currently exploring new ways to support families in this regard, including connecting them with local stores and restaurants. We believe that family greenhouses are highly sustainable programs and we will continue to grow this model for years to come.

Help us support more family greenhouses!A little bit of money goes a really far way...

At the AASD office it is nearly a weekly occurrence that we receive visits from farmers who want to build their family a greenhouse. We simply cant keep up with this demand and are looking for your help. Consider the numbers: one initial contribution of $250 will support a family greenhouse for the next FIVE YEARS. During that time farmers will not only be feeding their entire family, but selling enough vegetables to cover all costs associated with the greenhouse moving forward. Please help us raise $10,000 so we can support 40 farmers feed their families!

*Please visit the last page of this report to learn about ways to contribute

Family Greenhouse Program

AASDs Chris Miller leading a workshop on greenhouse farming in the community of Pampacorral

Family members coming together to roof a greenhouse in the community of Pampacorral

Experiential Learning

We followed up our Winter research with a Summer GIS (Geospatial Information Systems) Practicum. The AASD welcomed a group of geography students representing Universities from Colorado, New York, California and Canada. This summers investigation explored high altitude gardens and to what degree a farmers ability to grow vegetables is affected by their geographic location. Over the span of two months our research team surveyed a total of 191 farmers/households and digitally mapped 14 different communities located between 10,000-14,000 feet above sea level.

While we are just scratching the surface of this study, our initial analysis led to two major findings. First, we learned that the majority of gardens are managed or co-managed by

women from the household. This is an important finding because it not only creates a new opportunity for women to generate revenue for their family, but also allows them to become more empowered within their community. Additionally, we learned that climate change is the most pressing concern for Andean farmers. The development of vegetable gardens is a recent trend and data suggests that it is a local adaptation to rising temperatures. For an interactive look at the communities and people we worked during this study you can visit our online story map.

Since this summer the AASD has continued to explore this important topic. We implemented a baseline study to learn more about farmer behavior and perception of climate change in the Andes, which will subsequently lead to a multiyear investigation. Our goal is to determine the greatest local challenges that farmers are facing and collaborate with local actors on the implementation of programs to address these issues. Please visit our website if you are interested in participating in this research.

Winter Research Practicum

Summer Research Practicum

2015 marked the sixth consecutive year the AASD hosted graduate students from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) during their winter term practicum. This year we also hosted four undergraduate students from Middlebury College, Vermont. During this years practicum the AASD continued to establish itself as an organization that can add value to both students and local Peruvian communities. The program is designed for students and faculty to join our research team in Peru and help us understand and analyze local challenges. Findings are intended to inform or create new AASD programs.

This year our study focused on determining the effectiveness of a local organic certification program, as well as understanding farmer knowledge, attitudes and practices towards organic farming. To investigate this topic students co-designed a survey with the AASD during Dr. Phil Murphys Fall semester Field Methods course at MIIS. During their time in Peru students visited eight communities and administered the survey to 216 households. In brief, we learned that 1) while organic farming is highly valued, certification is rare, and 2) the use of organic farming practices heavily depend on access to community workshops, outreach programs and how much farmers value the taste and visual appearance of fruits and vegetables. This information is critical for the AASD as we are constantly refining our agriculture programs with local communities. For more information on this study you can read the following analysis located on the AASD website.

Geography student talking to a farmer about his garden.

Our research team after finishing up suveys in the community of Huama

This year, in partnership with the Center for Social Impact Learning (CSIL) at MIIS, the AASD hosted the first iteration of the Ambassador Corps Program in Peru. Ambassador Corps was created to provide students with an internship with a premier social entrepreneurship organization... and matches student skills with a host organizations defined need or challenge. The AASD partnered with Middlebury students Evelin Toth and Nick Zelle, to help us create an action plan for incorporating the AASDs Experiential Learning (EL) program at Middlebury College.

Evelin and Nick exceeded our expectations throughout the 9 weeks they were in Peru. They spent the first part of their internship building an understanding of the local context in which the AASD works. Additionally, by engulfing themselves in academic journals and articles, they became well versed in the theories, concepts and models of experiential learning that already exist in higher education. They spent the duration of their internship

working with AASD staff to create a program that would be a perfect fit for both Middlebury and the AASD.

Their final recommendations included 1) a research program for seniors to come to Peru and apply their relevant academic discipline in Peru as a basis for their thesis, 2) the incorporation of the AASD as a live-case study for formal integration into pre-existing courses at Middlebury, and 3) a program on International Development where students can come to Peru and learn about development theory and philosophy while simultaneously being exposed to those realities as they exist in Peru. The AASD is already on their way towards implementing these programs and slowly but surely growing a relationship

with Middlebury College.

School Garden Program

Ambassador Corps

2015 was also the second year of the AASDs School Garden Program (SGP). SGP offers undergraduate and gap-year students the opportunity to train in Biointensive farming, learn about the complexities involved with community-led development, and further put that knowledge into practice as volunteers in the AASD School Garden Program.

This year we were happy to host seven SGP participants. After their initial farm training the group spent the duration of their program in local communities working with schools. Participants coordinated directly with school directors and teachers to plan workshops with their students in the school greenhouse. They then facilitated these workshops, which included lessons on composting, planting, pests prevention and seed-saving.

For the first time we also created an internship opportunity through this program for students seeking a more robust experience in Peru. Interns participate as standard volunteers during the first session of the program, however upon completion they assume a leadership role when a new group arrives for the second session. The AASD works closely with interns to offer a unique perspective into the management and planning of implementing community programs. This is an excellent opportunity for students to gain farm knowledge, leadership skills and professional development. For more information or to apply to this program please visit the School Garden Program page on our website.

Evelin and Nick fit right in as members of the AASD Experiential Learning team.

SGP participants learning about bed preparation and spacing

Outreach

The AASD has visited the MIIS campus every year since our organization was founded in 2010, and this year was no different. The main purpose of this trip is to meet and start working with our students who are coming to Peru to participate in our Winter Research Practicum. Just as important, however, is to meet with faculty and administration and inform them on new ways to collaborate with the AASD in Peru. This year we gave a presentation on our summer research findings to various classes, as well as a presentation to the Middlebury Board of Overseers on the AASD and what our vision is for future collaboration with both MIIS and MIDD.

Adam and Aaron presenting to a group of students on our summer research findings.

Planet Forward is a project at George Washington University where experts, engaged citizens and students can weigh in on energy, climate and sustainability. This year, after a presentation to the Middlebury Board of Overseers, AASD co-founders Adam Stieglitz and Aaron Ebner were invited to present at their annual conference in Washington DC. The topic of this years conference was Innovations in Food Production. The AASD presented on our approach to responsible development and food sovereignty. In an arena where many presenters introduced their own innovative solutions for solving global food challenges, the AASD challenged that by saying, If a solution to any of these problems exist, they must come from the local community. Click here to watch Adam and Aarons presentation.

This year Middlebury College hosted the AASD at their beautiful Vermont campus. Adam and Aaron spent a week visiting with different faculty members, administration and students who were all interested in learning more about the AASDs Experiential Learning program. Similar to our philosophy towards community development projects, we believe that when partnering with academic institutions you must first attain strong relationships in order to reach success. During our trip we met with faculty members from the departments of Latin America Studies, Geography, Environmental Studies and Sustainability. We spoke about ways to integrate the AASD into their coursework and in many cases faculty were interested in partnering on the AASDs research endeavors in Peru. Please stay tuned to hear more about how the AASD and Middlebury continue to work together to form a partnership that changes the way we look at international immersive education.

Planet Forward

Middlebury College

Middlebury Institute of International Studies

Adam and Aaron presenting at George Washington University

Adam and Aaron visiting the Middlebury, Vermont campus

For many students this was the first time visiting Cusco - the Capital of the Inca Empire

In 2015, for the second consecutive year, the AASD was chosen as the international partner for the annual Empty Bowls Placerville fundraiser. Empty Bowls is a wonderful movement that raises money to support local food kitchens, as well as an international cause related to food security. In total the Empty Bowls event has raised over $20,000 to support the AASDs school and family greenhouse initiative!

Not only was this the second year the AASD was chosen, but it is also the second year that we were fortunate enough to represent our organization at the big event in Placerville, California. Each year we have met more and more amazing people from the Empty Bowls community and we hope this continues to flourish further into a long, lasting relationship.

Empty Bowls

Photo Mural Project

Empty Bowls celebration in Placerville. Over 500 people showed up this year!

AASD representatives at the conference making a statement that our climate is not your business!

This year the AASD was represented by our Climate Change expert Marina Flevotomas at the UN Climate Conference in Lima. Marina attended the full two weeks and also spent time at the Peoples Climate Summit where she interviewed more than 30 indigenous persons affected by climate change, false solutions and extractivism (mainly mining). Marinas presence garnered interested from the Indigenous Association of the Andes and grassroots movements including the womens and gender caucus. She attended the International Tribunal on the Rights of Mother Earth where she interviewed leading indigenous environmentalists about community led solutions, resistance and green energy.This experience was very important for the AASD as the communities we work with are extremely vulnerable to climate change and our projects serve as viable adaptation and mitigation solutions for the highland Andean communities.

Marina also dedicated her heart to continuing the photography project started by Eric Ebner in 2011 in the community of Pampacorral.She organized the Photo Mural Project, raising funds to bring 30 students from the Lares Valley to Cusco where they shared their story by creating a mural of more than 100 of their own photos in the Plaza de Armas. The excursion with the students, some of whom have never been to the city of Cusco, included visiting the museum Inka, Saqsaywaman and enjoying a big lunch in the center of town. The students felt overwhelmed and empowered displaying their photography and experiencing Cusco! This project was not only important because it was so special for the students, but also because the photos offered a glimpse into the life of todays indigenous population and showed the beauty that is embedded in the Andean culture and traditions.

UN Climate Change Conference

2015 RevenuesContributions $ 34,212.82Products & Services $ 3,132.73Program Fees $ 33,957.00 TOTAL $ 71,302.55

2015 ExpensesProgrammatic $ 63,950.98Fundraising & Outreach $ 6,200.96Administration $ 8,865.22TOTAL $ 79,017.16

AASD Statement of Activities November 1, 2014 - October 31, 2015

48%

4%

48%

11%

8%81%

Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL

REVENUE Contributions Products and services Program Fees

TOTAL

$ 30,727.82$ 3,132.73$ 33,957.00

$ 67,817.55

$ 3,485.00 -- --

$ 3,485.00

$ 34,212.82$ 3,132.73$ 33,957.00

$ 71,302.55

EXPENSES Programmatic Fundraising and Outreach Administration TOTAL

$ 62,741.30$ 6,200.96$ 8,865.22

$ 77,807.48

$ 1,209.68 -- --

$ 1,209.68

$ 63,950.98$ 6,200.96$ 8,865.22

$ 79,017.16

CHANGE IN NET ASSETS + Net Assets - Beginning = Total net assets - Ending

$ (9,989.93)$ 27,552.96

$ 17,563.03

$ 2,275.32$ 2,392.08

$ 4,667.40

$ (7,714.61)$ 29,945.04

$ 22,230.43

If you are interested in what we are doing here in Peru and would like to support our cause there are many ways of doing so. By contributing to the AASD you can rest assured that your support will go directly to a program that is having a positive impact on indigenous communities in the Andes. If there is a particular endeavor that you would like to support, for example, School Greenhouse Program or Research into Climate Change just let us know and we will make sure to dedicate the funds accordingly.

Please help us get the word out about the work we are doing here in Peru. The AASD is a critical social change organization that is constantly challenging our own approach to development to make sure we are functioning as responsibly as possible. Help us start a movement where we can all look at development through a critical lens and support programs that are actually having a positive impact.

THANK YOU!!!

Get involved and support the AASD!

HERE IS HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE:

1) Make a one-time donation by clicking here or mailing a check to:

Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development560 Orchard RoadMarshall, Michigan 49068

2)Become a Friend of the AASD and initiate a monthly automatic withdrawal from your account. You choose the amount and project you want to support!

3)Tell people about our School Garden Program. Come to Peru, learn about sustainable agriculture, and give back by helping out at our farm and school greenhouses.

Come visit us! We are located in the beautiful Sacred Valley of Peru and would love to show you our projects.