Fruit Forest Peace Project & Community Amazon Rainforest

Dear those who are reading,

My name is Jade Leah Ferguson and I was born and grew up mostly in Massachusetts USA. So far, I have lived 22 years on this earth. I spent most of my childhood exploring the forest, climbing trees, helping in the garden, and foraging berries. Since I was a young girl, I have always envisioned a place in my mind. I would think about it, paint it, and dream of it. After going on a service trip to the Dominican Republic when I was 14, my need for vision and purpose in life was met. After participating in this environmental community service planting trees, surrounded by positive humans and fruit, I felt at home. I felt as though a flame of passionate fire had been lit in my heart and I became confident that my future would involve a similar lifestyle.

From a young age, I have experienced feelings of depression, sadness, pain, anxiety, and anger that carried into my young adult years. I would often lose touch with my vision, and the flame within my heart would be blown out. The only time I was reminded of the beauty of life was when I thought about the place I would paint and envision in my mind. I referred to this place as paradise. It involved mountains, the warm sun, tropical fruit trees, and a peaceful community where humans gathered to work together creating heaven on earth. After some solo traveling, I feel confident saying I have found an area where I feel happy calling home. I believe my purpose in life is to create what paradise on earth looks like to me, to be involved in a societal improvement that affects the whole earth and its living beings. Below I explain what this involves.

I created this GoFundMe to financially support my dream. One hundred percent of this money will go toward the project. This money will go towards me growing and creating a permaculture fruit forest and a peaceful healing community. I will create this project in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador. I would like to focus on growing indigenous and rare Amazon fruit trees. The land I am buying is part of a neighborhood created by an intentional permaculture community named Terra Frutis. The land is located near Gualaquiza, Ecuador. It consists of two (1.2 acre) lots in Terra Frutis Personal Plots 1. The core values and community that the other plot owners have established are something I want to be a part of. Update: As of now, I took a loan to officially pay off the land. While I work online to pay off this loan, I would like to receive donations to continue establishing the land. See recent *Update* below, to know the exact projects the money will go towards

I no longer want this paradise to only exist in my mind. I would like to manifest it into reality. My goal is that this fruit forest and small community will be that paradise and will meet my needs, other’s needs, and nature’s needs for purpose, peace, contribution, health, community, and love using strategies like Permaculture, Social Reform, Ahisma, Minimalism, Sustainability, Sobriety, Connection to Nature, and the Language of Life (Nonviolent Communication)

I believe using these values to create a fruit forest for myself and others who choose to join this future community allows us to not only add more life back into the rainforest but also spread peace through our everyday actions.

I currently live on both my land in a small shelter and at my neighbor's cabin in Terra Frutis Personal Plots Neighborhood. I plan to study Biology in January 2025 here in the Ecuadorian Amazon and graduate as a Biologist with a passion for making positive societal advancements in towards the direction of life. I currently work online as a virtual assistant and English tutor to support my basic needs and save money to pay off the land loans.

Thank you for the love, support, inspiration, and encouragement from family, friends, and those I have met along this journey. I feel thankful that you have taken the time to read this. I understand that everyone’s current personal experience with money is different and I welcome any donation small or big that you are willing to give from your heart. ❤️

For updates on this project: See below update or on [email redacted]e.project

For updates on my personal journey: Instagram- @Jadefrutta YouTube: PeaceofJade, or Facebook: Jade Leah

Sincerely,

Jade