“Diving” straight into the new role, Community Outreach Manager, Juan Diaz Alvan, ventured into little-visited communities this past December with M/V Aqua’s paramedic, Winston Pinedo. The duo, at times accompanied by Aqua Expeditions guests, offered medical attention to members of the Huaisi, Hatum Poza, Lago Prado and Tibiplaya II Zona communities – mostly pregnant women and children.

In addition to offering medical services, the Aqua Expeditions group also led a plastic waste cleaning campaign with the help of children from the Lago Prado community; organized a small Christmas Eve event Tibiplaya II Zona; and lead a responsible shopping expeditions with M/V Aqua guests to the Huaisi community, known for using only primary materials existing around the community — no feathers, animal teeth, snake skins, etc.

Aqua Expeditions has a strong commitment to identifying and helping to meet the needs of local communities in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, where it operates the M/V Aqua. To underscore that commitment, Founder and Chief Executive Officer Francesco Galli-Zugaro appointed Juan Díaz Alván to the newly created position of Community Outreach Manager.

Mr. Díaz Alván is a biologist who specializes both in working with communities in protected areas, as well as in the study of Amazon birds. He will manage relationship-building between Aqua Expeditions and 14 local riverside communities, and will also work with the leadership of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve and other institutions related to tourism and environmental conservation in Amazonia. He is a graduate of Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana (UNAP).

Welcome aboard, Juan!