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An indigenous young woman drinking an energizing beverage from a bottle in the Amazon rainforest

An Energizing Tradition

How an Indigenous woman in Ecuador turned an Amazonian drink into a family business

Esthela Noteno, a young Kichwa Indigenous woman, once believed she had her dream job.

She and her husband, Winston, worked as guides at Lago Agrio Perla ecological park in the heart of Ecuador’s Amazon, about a five-hour drive northeast from the capital, Quito.

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An indigenous woman surrounded by plants and smiling
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A zenithal view of the Amazon rainforest

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Esthela and her husband lost their jobs at the ecological park. With nowhere else to go, they returned to their home village of Domingo Calapucha, in the same province of Sucumbíos. 

Although she did not have a job, Esthela was fortunate to spend more time with her grandmother, Juana. Esthela learned how to prepare Juana’s recipe for guayusa, a hot herbal drink made from the leaves of a holly plant native to the Amazon.

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A person preparing a the beverage in a bucket
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An indigenous woman preparing beverage
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A small bowl full of leaves used for preparing Guayusa

The ancient drink is prized by Kichwa people for its energy and antioxidant boost.

As their ancestors did before them, some families consume guayusa early in the morning to give them energy for the day.

However, the traditional beverage is less popular with young people who perhaps do not fully appreciate the tradition and prefer to drink soda or other beverages.

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The hands of a person preparing a beverage in the forest

The ancient drink is prized by Kichwa people for its energy and antioxidant boost.

Reinvigorating a tradition

Motivated to bring income to her family, Esthela had the idea to bottle and sell her grandmother’s guayusa recipe.

With seed capital from friends and family, she launched the beverage brand Andi Wayusa in 2020. “Andi” is Juana’s last name and “Wayusa” is another way to pronounce guayusa.

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A group of indigenous women gathering and piling a bunch of leaves
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Hands of an indigenous woman piling a bunch of leaves
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Hands of a woman holding a bunch of leaves used to prepare guayusa

Andi Wayusa has been a family business from the very start.

Esthela, along with her sister, cousin, and dad, initially produced about 150 bottles per week on demand, mostly selling to friends and local gyms.

To appeal to young consumers who don’t typically drink guayusa, Esthela added flavors like hibiscus and passionfruit to the traditional formula.

Two young women outside the Andi Wayusa building
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A woman in the greenhouse where the leaves are dried

“When we started working with the drink, it was like a direct connection with my culture and traditions,” Esthela said.

Looking for support to expand operations, Esthela turned to USAID’s Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources project.

Since 2021, USAID has supported Andi Wayusa in many ways, including helping to improve its business and marketing plan, implement social and environmental safeguards, purchase equipment, and conduct product testing.

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A woman in a production facility with several bottles of Andi Wayusa
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Two women in the production facility filling a bottle with the energizing beverage

Thanks to USAID support, by 2022 Andi Wayusa was distributing between 1,800 and 2,000 bottles per month to supermarkets, bus stations, and nature parks in Lago Agrio and Nueva Loja.

At the end of the same year, sales had increased by 180% compared to 2020.

 

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A bottle of Andi Wayusa

Esthela’s business acumen has brought prosperity to her community. The company purchases its guayusa leaves directly from Ally Wayusa, an Indigenous entrepreneurship association.

What first started as an idea in a Kichwa grandmother’s garden has now turned into a modern operation that has energized an entire community.

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An indigenous woman gathering leaves to prepare guayusa
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An indigenous collar mde of seeds
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A young indigenous woman smiling
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An old indigenous woman in the amazon rainforest
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A young indigenous woman taking part on a traditional ritual
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Sunrays going through the leaves on the Amazon rainforest

“WHEN WE DRINK GUAYUSA, WE THANK MOTHER EARTH. ANDI WAYUSA HAS A DIRECT CONNECTION WITH NATURE—WE THANK IT, TREAT IT WITH RESPECT, AND PROTECT IT,” ESTHELA SAID.

ABOUT THIS STORY

The Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources project, a partnership of USAID and the World Wildlife Fund and implemented jointly by NESsT and Confeniae, works with Indigenous organizations across Ecuador’s Amazon basin to protect their rights and interests as partners in conservation and sustainable economic development.

The project also works together with indigenous peoples' organizations in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Guyana and Suriname.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Narrative by Noelia Gutierrez and Chelsea Milko McAllister, USAID. Photos by Joel Heim for USAID.

Photos by Joel Heim for USAID.