The Heroes of Hermandad: A Legacy That Lives On

GLF, July 31, 2026

With the launch of The Heroes of Hermandad and the completion of the Creating a Collective Imaginary of Hermandad’s Conservation Values project, an initiative led by E4NG and funded by the Galápagos Life Fund (GLF) reaches an important milestone. Over the past year, the project strengthened environmental education across the islands through innovative educational resources, teacher training, and hands-on learning experiences.

More than a publication, The Heroes of Hermandad is a new educational resource designed to complement the Galápagos Contextualized Curriculum for Sustainability. Endorsed by Ecuador’s Ministry of Education, the book will be distributed alongside a teacher’s guide for students in grades 5 through 10 of Basic General Education. Together, these resources will support classroom projects during the 2026–2027 school year, helping students deepen their understanding of the Hermandad Marine Reserve and the importance of its conservation.

The project delivered meaningful results throughout its implementation. A total of 75 community leaders participated in 63 intensive training sessions, while 22 teachers received ongoing support through 127 classroom and experiential learning sessions. Overall, the initiative reached 825 students and inspired three community-led initiatives involving 15 local businesses, strengthening the connection between education, community engagement, and conservation.

The project also generated measurable changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. By its conclusion, participants demonstrated a stronger understanding of the conservation objectives of the Hermandad Marine Reserve, recognized the importance of protecting iconic species such as the Galápagos petrel, and showed a greater willingness to adopt sustainable practices, including reducing single-use plastics by choosing reusable bags and helping protect marine ecosystems. Participant satisfaction with the project reached 94%.

Although the Galápagos Life Fund-funded project is coming to an end, its legacy will continue. Next steps include sharing the project’s impact assessment with educational institutions and local communities, delivering training workshops and developing a continuing education course in collaboration with key partners, all aimed at strengthening and ensuring the long-term continuity of the Heroes of Hermandad educational strategy.