Working in self-determination and mutual solidarity, four villages in the Ogooué-Ivindo region of north-eastern Gabon document, manage, and defend their territories of life
Near the town of Makokou, the capital of the province of Ogooué-Ivindo in north-east Gabon, there are twenty villages inhabited mainly by the Fang and Kota ethnic groups. These villages have been obliged to group together, and distribute themselves along … Read more
A ‘permanent solidarity’ process protects indigenous ancestral knowledge and native seeds in Ajuluco de Tenancingo, Buena Vista and Animas de Santa Cruz Michapa (El Salvador).
CESTA is an environmental organisation founded in August 1980 that since then, has been contributing to defend ecosystems and people’s wellbeing in El Salvador. It has done so by helping the communities affected by environmental conflicts to care for their … Read more
The guardians of the land (Kanan Lu’um Moo) of Chapab de las Flores (Yucatan, Mexico) confront polluting ‘development’ by taking control of their territory, promoting alternative livelihoods, and protecting their Mayan knowledge, customs, seeds, and ways of life.
Chapab de las Flores is an indigenous Mayan community located in the central-western part of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), a region with rich biodiversity, abundant forest vegetation and water resources, thanks to the cenotes— natural pits resulting from the … Read more
A self-organized Guardias indígenas protects the territory of life of the Shipibo-Konibo-Xetebo people in the Peruvian Amazon
The Council of the Shipibo-Konibo-Xetebo people (Coshikox) has just announced the creation of a Guardias indígenas to protect its territory of life in the midst of harassments and aggressions by people determined to illegally extract timber from the communal forest, … Read more
Communities of ethnic and linguistic minorities strengthen their solidarity to defend themselves and their territories from expanding extractive industries in Zimbabwe
By 2023, Zimbabwe is projecting a US$12 billion economic target from extractive industries (mostly for gold, diamonds, coal, gas, and lithium), supposed to support ambitious development targets. This industrial expansion is expected to allow multinational companies to tap into the … Read more
Sustaining in a practical way the spiritual force of women (zomo newen) to protect our Mapuche territory in the south of Chile.
Our Lof Domingo Cayun Panicheo, located in the First and Second Corral of the Puelo River Valley in southern Chile, is a territory in which the zomo newen (women’s spiritual force) stands out and which we consider sacred. It is … Read more
Children and youth of pastoralist peoples in Isiolo county (Kenya) learn from their elders how to become custodians of cultural and natural heritage
Ecologically harsh and sparsely populated, the northern regions of Kenya are home to different ethnic groups with livelihoods centered on mobile pastoralism and foraging. Vibrant ecological knowledge and skills have enabled people like the Gabbra, Borana, Saakuyye, Somali, Turkana, Samburu, … Read more
Self-strengthening towards collective forest rights— a first attempt at taking advantage of progressive new legislation in Kenya!
WARNING! Unfortunately we need to note that this initiative was never taken to completion and its initial funding was misappropriated by the NGO Wumweri Ghodu. This is a first and only occurrence of this type in 18 years of work … Read more
Self-managed Job Bank for indigenous and mestizo women and youth in an urban periphery in Chiapas (Mexico)
The Tierra Roja Cuxtitali Community Center offers a community learning space in the north-eastern outskirts of San Cristobal de Las Casas (Chiapas-Mexico). This initiative— conceived by women and youth of the Community Center from both indigenous and mestizo backgrounds— is … Read more
