Our Mission
Vanishing Cultures Foundation, Inc. was created to support the indigenous people of Peru by preserving their spiritual lineage and supporting their economic development.
Vanishing Cultures’ approach to fulfilling its mission is one that provides funding, practical advice and hands on support for each village project. We assist but never interrupt. We support but do not interfere. The village is involved in every step of the process. The input of the village is critical to our mission.
Our mandate comes from the word ‘ayni,’ a Quechua word from the Andes that means reciprocity or an exchange that maintains balance in the flow of energy from one source to another. This is the cornerstone of the Andean relationship with the universe as well as the guiding principle of our foundation.
Vanishing Cultures Foundation, Inc. is incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
Governance
Vanishing Cultures is governed by a Board of Directors whose officers are listed below as of January 2008.
Denise Kinch, President
Kristen Wennekamp, Treasurer
Paula Winters, Secretary
Rebecca Clough
Hans Li
Carmen Brown, Translator
Mercedes Huarhua Pillco, Peruvian liason
Denise A Kinch
Denise A. Kinch began her healing work at a very young age by working with animals and became aware of the importance of the animal-human-nature bond in healing. Denise incorporates many areas of holistic healing in her work and has extensively studied both conventional and alternative medicines. She shares her knowledge throughout Europe, North America and South America.
Denise was present with Don Manuel Quispe at the time of his death when he gave her his final personal and highest rites and his ceremonial poncho to carry on his traditions.
Denise continues her work learning the ancient healing traditions of the Andes with Don Martin Pinedo, Dona Julia Farfan, Isabel Churiga and Olinda. Because of her dedication to the traditions and native people of Peru, Don Martin gifted his condor to Denise in 2006.
Denise and her husband Paul founded Vanishing Cultures Foundation in 1995. She is the President of Vanishing Cultures Foundation, Inc. Her work with the Foundation includes leading the annual Student Humanitarian Trips and the Mountain Medical Team to the villages high in the Andes of Peru to work with the people and their herds of llama and alpaca. Denise is the only American who has lived, studied and worked among the people in the high Q’ero villages, 13 times.
Denise also leads annual journeys with young people and adults to the sacred sites of the Inca in Peru to work with the local Medicine people. She founder of the Pachamama Healing Center in Groveland, Massachusetts, which she began as a community healing center for people and animals.
Hans Li
Hans Li holds a Masters of Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Tufts University and a Diploma of Photography from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Hans practiced Architecture for six years with Richard Meier before dedicating himself to studying the architectural monuments of the Ancient Americans.
Hans Li has been on the VCF Board of Directors for eight years and is also the founder and President of Waka Foundation based in New York.
Kristen Wennekamp
Kristen is a graduate of North Shore Community College with her Associates’ Degree in Travel. She is currently working for Videyko Chiropractic in Newburyport MA as a billing administrator.
After doing energy work with Denise Kinch and learning about Vanishing Cultures Foundation and its mission, Kristen became very interested in helping the people of Peru. She became involved with VCF about three years ago and currently serves on the Board as its Treasurer.
Paula Winters
Paula is a Reiki Master/Teacher in the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition, a Flower Essence practitioner, a certified Crystal Healing/Laying on of Hands practitioner, an Ear Candling practitioner and an Essential Oils practitioner. She is currently studying Advanced Inca Medicine with and is apprentice to Denise Kinch, training in the sacred, ancient Andean traditions.
She serves as Secretary on the Vanishing Cultures Foundation board of directors, a non-profit organization serving to help the indigenous people of Peru. Her personal mission is focused on grant writing, website creation and fundraising for the foundation in order to respond to the needs of the Peruvian children.
Her path to alternative medicine was triggered with two life-changing events, one when she was two and the other when she was fifty-one. As a 2-year old paralyzed with polio, her family was too poor to afford conventional medical treatment so a family friend and chiropractor made daily visits to adjust her. She was eventually able to walk and actually danced ballet into her teens. In her early 20s, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and struggled with the disease for 30 years. At fifty-one, with her immune system almost non-existent, she once again turned to alternative medicine finding a chiropractor and a Reiki practitioner to help her slowly begin regaining her health, medication free.
Paula, with a degree in Mathematics, had a long career in banking and at a non-profit organization as a software engineer. She is currently working as a clinical assistant at Videyko Chiropractic and is building her healing practice in Newburyport.
She can be reached at (978) 463-2040 or paulawinters@verizon.net .
Reba Clough
Bio coming soon
Carmen Brown
Bio coming soon
Mercedes Huarhua Pillco
Mercedes has sold the most exquisite and finely made jewelry in the Cuzco area. She comes from a family of artists. Her father was an expert and meticulous stone cutter and silversmith who passed his art on to all of his children. He also knew conventional education would be necesssary in the changing times of Peru.
Mercedes has a degree in accounting and is our financial liason for the VCF programs throughout Peru.
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