Help Us Build
Mango Rao
A Jungle Medicine Centre for Maestro Teobaldo & Maestra Marina, a place for us to deepen with their wisdom and lineage, and to protect the living medicine of the Amazon rainforest.
Protecting the medicinal plants of the Amazon
Maestro Teo and his family acquired 90 hectares of preserved Amazon jungle several years ago; a vast, raw and beautiful piece of rainforest near their home, Comunidad Nuevo Ceilan, that they have continued to steward and protect as a living pharmacy.
At a time when the overuse and unsustainable harvesting of Ayahuasca is becoming an increasingly serious reality, we feel deeply that protecting places like this is more important than ever. We envision this land remaining a protected, living ecosystem where native medicinal plants can continue to grow, be cared for, and be connected with for healing and spiritual growth.
A Relationship That Has Taken Years to Cultivate
In all these years working with Ayahuasca, I have had the privilege of working alongside a number of different maestros and healers, each with their own gifts, traditions, teachings and ways of working. I have enormous love and respect for the people I have had the opportunity to walk alongside.
So the decision to deepen with one family, and to build something together, is not one I take lightly.
There is something very special about Maestro Teobaldo and Maestra Marina that has made me feel that the time is right to go deeper.
I am actually grateful that it has taken this long.
Over the years, something very genuine has grown between us. We have worked together through dozens of retreats, travelled together, shared meals, stories, laughter and difficult moments, and watched one another grow. I have come to know Teo and Marina not only as extraordinary healers, but as people I deeply respect and love.
THE INVITATION
The idea for this project actually came from Teo himself.
During a recent retreat in Spain, he came to me and said:
“Look, it’s been a long time now. We trust each other and we feel good with you. It’s time to build a centre in the jungle together.”
It didn’t feel like a dramatic revelation, rather, a quiet recognition that something has reached its moment. After all these years, it seems that the time has come. So we are listening to that invitation, and taking this next step together.
THE PLACE
Comunidad Nuevo ceilan · Río Ucayali
The project sits in Comunidad Nuevo Ceilan, Teo and Marina’s home, roughly a two-hour boat journey, up-river, from Pucallpa along the Ucayali River in Peru.
ALREADY UNDERWAY
This Project Has Already Begun
This is not simply an idea. Teo and Marina have already invested years of their own energy and resources into acquiring the land—construction materials, solar panels, existing structures, and a great deal of time and effort readying the site.
Neils has travelled to Peru in May to assess the property, understand the construction requirements, meet with builders, develop the project, create a Peruvian Not-For-Profit organization and document the process.
During that visit, Neils put forward a seed investment of 5000USD to begin harvesting hard-woods to mill wood in preparation to build the structures during that visit & to create a Peruvian Not for Profit. The materials are now ready to begin building.
90 hectares of raw, magical jungle
The land was originally purchased for them by supporters of their work, and since then they have identified, cultivated and planted countless medicinal and master plants, including large numbers of Ayahuasca vines.
For us, this is about much more than building a retreat centre; it is about supporting something Teo and Marina have been cultivating for years, while helping protect the plants, the land, and the living relationship with them at the heart of their tradition.
THE VISION
A Place to Learn, Gather and Grow
The goal is to establish a permanent centre at Teo and Marina’s home community—a stable base for their family, their cultural knowledge, their teaching, their community work and the development still to come.
After the initial goal of 20,000USD to build the Maloca is reached, we intend on raising a total of 45,000USD
to build the entire project.
1 MALOCA
2 PRIVATE TAMBOS
3 DINING AREA
4 BATHROOMS
5 COMMUNAL SPACES
THE FIRST GOAL
Our First Goal: Build the Maloca
The maloca will be the central gathering structure of the centre and the first major stage of construction—the place where ceremony, teaching and community life will be held.
The current preliminary builder estimate is 20,000 USD. This is a rough initial estimate and will be confirmed as the build is costed on the ground.
THE FUNDRAISING TARGET WILL ALSO COVER
Construction materials
Transportation and logistics
Furnishings
Initial infrastructure
On-the-ground project coordination
Other necessary startup expenses
A full visual breakdown will be published here once final numbers are confirmed.
PROJECT PHASES
Phase 1 — Assessment
Neils travelled to Peru to assess the land, construction requirements, logistics and viability of the project, seed investment for materials for Maloca build, created a legal entity in Peru for fiscal transparency..
COMPLETED
Phase 1 — Assessment
Neils travelled to Peru to assess the land, construction requirements, logistics and viability of the project, while documenting the people and place behind the vision.
Phase 2 — Initial Build
Begin construction of the maloca and establish the physical foundation of the centre. While Maloca construction is underway we intend to build two prototype diet tambos.
CURRENT
Phase 2 — Initial Build
Begin construction of the maloca and establish the physical foundation of the centre.
Phase 3 — Expansion
Develop private tambos, a dining area - repurposing a pre-existing structure, men’s & women’s bathroom facilities, communal spaces and additional basic infrastructure.
FUTURE
Phase 3 — Expansion
Develop private tambos, a dining area, communal spaces and additional basic infrastructure. The project will grow organically according to the needs of the land, family and community.
THE DESIGN
What We Are Building
These are the architectural renders of the ceremonial maloca and the private tambos for those sitting in dieta. Lots of breezy, mosquito-net walls and deep roof overhangs, built for the hot jungle climate and an immersive jungle experience.
19 m roof diameter, a 11 m ceremony space, full mosquito-net walls and a verandah raised 3 m above the ground on concrete pylons.
THE MALOCA
Private diet huts for one to two people — 8.5 m by 4 m structure including interior and a covered verandah with a hammock, raised floor and 2 mosquito-net walls open to the jungle. Each built in its own jungle enclave.
THE TAMBOS
WHY WE ARE ASKING
Help Us Build Something That Can Last
The purpose of this fundraising is to help establish a stable, long-term space that can support Teo, Marina and their family, and allow the project to develop sustainably over the years to come.
If Teo and Marina’s work has touched your life, or if you feel connected to what we are building, we invite you to become part of this next chapter.
DONATE - HELP BUILD THE MALOCA
Help Us Build MANGO RAO
AMAZONIAN MEDICINE CENTER
$45,000
DONATE
Seed Supporter
Personalized thank-you message card
Everything above & limited-edition project T-shirt, beautiful photographic print from the land/project
Maloca Builder
Everything above & Special recognition as a Founding Patron - with your name on a plaque at the center, if you wish, a personal video/message of thanks from Teo and Marina, a handmade textile connected to the project
Founding Patron
Everything above and One complimentary retreat at the Mango Rao Centre, redeemable for any of the first four public retreats held at the centre after its completion, limited to the first 10 Founding Guardian Donors. The retreat can be used by the donor or transferred to another person, subject to the centre's normal participation requirements and availability, only for Mango Rao Retreat offerings - not Anam Cara Retreats. Special recognition as one of the Founding Guardians of the centre - with your name on a plaque at the center, if you wish
Founding Guardian
Contributions are received through our U.S. nonprofit partner and then directed toward the project in Peru. RECIPIENT ALEXANDER PIKE IS CORRECT.
ZELLE
HOW TO SEND YOUR GIFT
Currently we are only able to receive donations via Zelle.
Zelle to: Onayasanctuary@gmail.com
TRANSPARENCY
Transparency & Accountability
Donations are received through our trust.
Funds are designated for this project.
Funds will ultimately be transferred to the Peruvian association’s dedicated bank account once operational.
Project expenses will be tracked.
Updates, photographs and progress reports will be shared with supporters.
Some funds will go towards travel expenses, namely flights.
Details of tax status and structure will be confirmed by the nonprofit’s accountant.
PROJECT UPDATES
LATEST UPDATE
$28,391 / $45,000 raised
May, 2026 - Neils gives seed investment to Teo & Marina to begin cutting down trees, and milling timber for building Mango Rao
May-August, 2026 - Teo and Marina make progress with milling timber
August 20, 2026 - First formal donation received to Neils, who has cash on hand in Peru to begin using this money towards the project
August 21,2026 - Neils Deposits second payment of donations to Teo & Marina to continue with Milling, Labor, Tools, Gasoline, Transportation, the expense to mill wood from trees from. Sourcing timber from Teo & Marina's land is a fraction of the cost of buying these materials retail. very big benefit… This money also went to construction materials - Cement, Corrugated roofing, Sand, Steel Rebar, Nails, Mosquito Netting for windows.
August 25 - Tambo plans are finalized. Teo Contracts a local builder named Aristo to begin construction of first Tambo + contracts several local men to clear plots in the forrest where the tambos will be built.
September 7-20, 2026 - Neils meets with Builder 3 times in Pucallpa + goes to Mango Rao with Builder 1 time in person to assess final materials list - what timber is still needed, in accordance with engineering plans.
September 19, 2026 - after revisions engineers final Maloca Plans are Completed.
Sept 22, 2026 - Wire's payment to builder for first installment for Maloca construction, scheduled to begin first week of October, 2026
Help Us Build the
First Chapter
The maloca is the beginning. If you feel connected to Teo, Marina, their family or this vision, we would be grateful to have you help us bring it to life.