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Key people at Manna Project International.
Manna Project International (MPI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, supports indigenous Kichwa communities in Ecuador's Amazon Rainforest, offering experiential education and development to volunteers and interns. MPI collaborates locally, designing health, education, and livelihood programs, addressing needs through practical engagement. This model fosters direct involvement for meaningful, sustained community improvement.
Founded in January 2004 by four Vanderbilt students, including Lori Scharffenberg, MPI directed student energy toward underserved populations. After forming a campus organization, Scharffenberg and a team launched MPI's first site in Nicaragua in September 2004, establishing its community-centric approach. This initiative stemmed from a desire to leverage student passion for global betterment.
MPI serves indigenous communities and global participants seeking development experiences. Vision: community support fosters a more just world. MPI plans to advance equity, enhance sustainability at its Shandia site, and expand impact across Amazon Rainforest, committed to lasting change through consistent daily efforts.
Manna Project International (MPI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2004 that empowers young leaders through symbiotic experiential education and service abroad, focusing on health, education, and livelihoods to break the cycle of poverty in underserved communities.[1][2][3] Operating primarily in indigenous communities near Ecuador's Amazon Rainforest town of Tena, MPI deploys teams of year-long Program Directors—recent graduates and young professionals—who collaborate with locals on sustainable programs like youth development, public health initiatives, and ecotourism, while hosting short-term volunteers.[1][2][4][5] Since inception, MPI has supported over 10,000 community members and trained more than 2,000 volunteers as social change agents worldwide, emphasizing community-led development over dependency.[1][3]
MPI began in 2004 with programs in Managua, Nicaragua, expanding to sites in Guatemala (2010-2014) and Ecuador's Chillos Valley before shifting to the Amazon Rainforest area of Tena, Napo province, in 2007, where it now focuses exclusively.[1][3][7] Specific founders are not detailed in available records, but the organization evolved from a vision of "communities serving communities," recruiting young professionals to live onsite and address local needs through collaborative models.[2][3] Key early traction came from building long-term partnerships with community leaders and institutions, enabling organic program growth; by sustaining operations for over 20 years, MPI has adapted to regional shifts, like closing Nicaragua operations in 2018, while maintaining a commitment to high-impact, low-admin-cost initiatives funded transparently via donations.[1][3]
MPI operates outside the for-profit tech sector, instead riding trends in experiential learning, sustainable development, and impact volunteering amid rising demand for purpose-driven gap years, internships, and social impact careers post-pandemic.[4][5][8] Its timing aligns with global emphases on ethical travel, BIPOC/LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, and race equity in nonprofits—evidenced by diverse board recruitment and feedback mechanisms—while market forces like climate focus amplify its Amazon sustainability work.[4][6] By training young leaders in program design and metrics, MPI indirectly bolsters the broader ecosystem, producing skilled talent for tech-adjacent fields like social impact tech, edtech, and healthtech startups addressing global inequities.[2][3]
MPI's trajectory points to deeper entrenchment in Ecuador's Amazon, potentially expanding ecotourism and youth programs amid climate and migration pressures, with trends like AI-driven impact measurement and virtual volunteering enhancing efficiency.[5][8] Influence may grow through alumni networks fueling social enterprises, though scaling without diluting community ties remains key. This non-profit's model—far from a company—exemplifies scalable social impact, transforming volunteers into lifelong advocates while proving communities thrive when supported collaboratively.[1][2]
Key people at Manna Project International.
