The women of the little town of Amazonas have long since taken control of the village. With the help of local NGO Minga Perú, those that were once abused, neglected or plainly ignored have overcame their fears and spoken up. So much so that they are now leaders in their communities and share their success with other women in the Amazon. The do not only produce and harvest food for their families, but they also sell the surplus to produce an economic income. And they do all this in a sustainable way, even helping the Amazon rainforest recover! A win-win situation and a remarkable story that we had the privilege to hear from them. In the afternoon, after toasting to the birth of the Amazon at the very confluence where it is formed, we cruised up the Ucayali River, where we are to spend the rest of our expedition until we reach the southern and wilder part of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve.