About us

Un Cambio por la Vida Iniciative

Our mission is to promote CO-llaboration, CO-operation and CO-ordination to achieve the 2030 SDG Agenda in Galapagos.
We support researchers, policy-makers and the community to drive progress toward 40 prioritised targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Within this, we build opportunities, bridges and collaborative networks for local community leaders and young Galapagueños. We facilitate community-led projects addressing pressing social, economic and ecological issues, and promote communication between different groups and institutions.

Overall, we seek to improve social well-being in harmony with biodiversity conservation in Galapagos, using a model that prioritises empowerment of the local community.​

Co-Galapagos is a grassroots initiative that is executed within the framework of the Social of Circular Innovation objective of promoted by FUNCAVID for the construction of sustainable communities.

Through Co-Galapagos we seek to empower local communities to promote sustainability in Galapagos.

We support local community members in acquiring skills and resources to implement their own projects that support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By supporting both local leaders and early-career Galapagos residents, we facilitate progress toward sustainability and conservation in the Galapagos.

Research & Policy

How can we improve coordination between research and community initiatives?

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How can we improve coordination between research and community initiatives?

Communication and coordination between different actors is vital for efficiency and achievement of results. To efficiently aid coordination of research and community initiatives toward the 40 priority SDG targets for Galapagos, we need to have a better understanding of what has been/is being done.

There are many different individuals, groups and organisations, local and international, working on sustainability topics in Galapagos. Without a central space to enable an overview of this work, it is easy for duplication and conflict to arise.

For this reason, we are working to build an online network tool to map information on past and present research and community projects across the islands. This will include the community initiatives we are supporting. The network is designed to display the links between each project and various themes, keywords, people, institutions and species, making it easy to see which topics each project relates to.

Mapping projects

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Mapping projects

As well as pooling information from published papers, we are digitising research permits (with the support of the Galapagos National Park Directorate) and extracting information from unpublished reports, dating back to the 1960s. Several of our Co-Galapagos interns have been doing fantastic work digging through all of this! We then organise and categorise all of this data to feed the network.

Building on our SDG tool, we are working to map each project on the network in relation to various political ambitions including the 40 priority targets and the Objectives of the 2030 Galápagos Plan. This will enable identification of key gaps and increased focus of resources and effort towards particular areas important for policy progress. In this way, the network will support collaboration and coordination toward the 2030 Agenda in Galapagos.

Policy pack

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Policy pack

Complimenting this effort, we have also created a policy pack, with the objective to create a virtual repository where stakeholders can easily find all legislation pertaining to Galapagos, and understand its relation to achieving the 2030 Plan and the 40 prioritised SDG targets.

The policy pack consists of two main components: 1) A repository of the main bodies of legislation relevant to the Galapagos, including laws, agreements and ordinances, and 2) Matrices identifying whether the provincial or cantonal legal bodies are aligned with, or contribute to, the achievement of the priority SDG targets and the Objectives of the Galapagos 2030 Plan.

How does it work?

Step 1

We collate project ideas from the community, including groups, individuals and local NGOs.

Projects have to be led by a Galapagos resident and fall under the topics featured in the 40 Priority Targets, such as education, biodiversity conservation, gender equality and clean water provision.

Each project must provide a summary, clear objectives, a timeline and a budget (maximum of $10,000).

Step 2

We support project planning, connect project leaders up with potential collaborators, and seek funding for each project.

Once funding is obtained, we provide training to project leaders throughout their project and host regular networking events between all project leaders to encourage knowledge-exchange.

We also work to communicate the work and findings of projects to policy-makers, amplifying local voices in policy processes.

Step 3

We run a paid internship scheme for local students/graduates to get involved in a project of their choice. Internships are typically 6 weeks and enable these young people to gain experience without necessarily having the means to support themselves while volunteering.

All interns remain part of our intern network after their internship and we organise regular training sessions for them throughout.

Step 4

As a donor, you can choose the community-led project or internship you wish to support, and how much you wish to give.

We also organise for you to speak directly to the project leader/intern should you choose. We will also ensure that you receive regular updates from the person you sponsor, including videos, so you can see exactly where your money goes, and the impact it has.

(If we are unable to raise the full amount, or for any other reason your chosen project does not start within a year of your donation, we provide the option for you to change project or have your money returned.)

    Meet our team

    Co-galapagos begins in 2021 through collaborative work between Fundación un Cambio por la vida, Galapagos Conservation Trust and King College of the University of Cambridge as a pilot project to map and strengthen community initiatives.

    For the year 2024, the Cambio por la vida Foundation welcomes this project as a permanent methodology for managing collaboration, cooperation and coordination of community actions to achieve the objectives of sustainable development in Galapagos.

    Executed by

    Our funders

    Additional collaborators