WHO WE ARE
A collective voice of the communities of Azama
UNORINCA — Union of Indigenous and Pluricultural Communities of Azama — is a second-level organization representing the Kichwa Indigenous communities of the Azama parish, in the province of Imbabura, Ecuador.
Born from the need for unity and representation, UNORINCA brings together community life, defends collective rights, and works toward the integral development of the farming and Indigenous families that make it up.
We are affiliated with the Indigenous and Farming Federation of Imbabura (FICI), which is in turn part of ECUARUNARI and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, CONAIE.
Our work
For collective leadership, participation, and self-determination.
Community Governance strengthens the organizational life of the communities of Azama through collective decision-making, local leadership, and active participation. Rooted in the traditions of the cabildos and communal work, it supports systems of governance built from within the community itself.
It affirms that collective organization is essential for autonomy, representation, and the continuity of communal life.
For land, water, and the protection of life.
Water is essential not only for health, but for food sovereignty, community wellbeing, and the continuity of life in Azama. UNORINCA works to protect water sources, strengthen local infrastructure, and ensure long-term access to clean and reliable water for Kichwa communities.
Grounded in collective stewardship of territory, this work connects environmental care, community governance, and sustainable development.
For reciprocity, agriculture, and collective resilience.
Community Wellbeing and Sustainable Livelihoods supports family agriculture, reciprocal exchange systems such as trueque, and local development initiatives that strengthen economic and social wellbeing. Grounded in the values of the chacra and collective care, it prioritizes sustainability over extraction.
It affirms that development should strengthen community relationships, not replace them.
For future generations, movement, and community connection.
Youth, Sports, and Community Life creates spaces for younger generations to engage with culture, leadership, and community through recreation, education, and collective events. Initiatives such as the Giro de Azama reflect the importance of movement, gathering, and shared experience in strengthening social bonds.
It affirms that community is built not only through work and struggle, but also through celebration, participation, and joy.
TERRITORY AND AFFILIATION
The communities of UNORINCA are settled in the highlands of the Azama , in the Otavalo canton of Imbabura, Ecuador. It is an Andean territory of great cultural and ecological richness, inhabited mostly by Kichwa Indigenous families.
UNORINCA – Union of Indigenous and Pluricultural Communities of Azama
FICI – Indigenous Peasant Federation of Imbabura
ECUARUNARI – Kichwa Confederation of Ecuador
CONAIE – Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities
