Working with schools in this area started in the year 1997 with a Project on Forest Management for Mapuche children at a rural school in the Commune of Padre Las Casas financed by the Fondo de las Américas (Americas´ Fund). This was only the beginning of the work we´ve carried on until today.

CURRENTLY

Nowadays the Lonko Kilapang Mapuche Corporation is carrying out an integral task that combines the educational and socio-cultural fields as well as the productive. In order to carry out this task, The Corporation has a group of professionals linked to these areas who work at these Rural Primary Schools of Mapuche Communities with sixth, seventh and eighth grade kids.

The work is done taking the natural environment -in which children grow- into consideration. This environment is determined not only by an ecological context. It`s also determined by the ancient culture of the families that inhabit the place.
When teaching about culture it´s also essential to hand out some lines of work within the productive area, specially in some areas of work that aren`t so traditional, thus, encourage working on the land and to be fond of it, making it relevant as a part of the teaching methology .

The Lonko Kilapang Corporation is currently working for the welfare of three schools located in the Commune of Galvarino: Huampomallin, Aillinco y Pelantaro, respectively.

According to how important the topics to be taught are, the support for schools is focused on manufacturing educational equipment that incorporates the knowledge of the people and their own communities plus professional help in some areas such as: the bee industry, sheep, minor fruit production, pastries and cakes, vegetables under plastic and craft workshops; it also considers the teaching contribution of the school teachers. This allows them to introduce these ideas and topics into the classrooms.

Thus, students become more self-assured, aware of their cultural-identity and boost their skills and abilities at all levels.
To achieve this task, cooperation work-shops are held in which teachers and students from the rural-schools before mentioned are involved.
Field trips are also made, incorporated as study-tours where the young ones get to know and differentiate the earth`s potentials and riches.