*[Enwl-eng] Guardians of the grassland

Mon Apr 24 17:03:57 MSK 2023

 My name is Nelson, and I'm a Maasai elder in Kenya. We're being persecuted. 

                                Dear Avaaz family,  
                                My name is Nelson Ole Reiyia, I'm a Maasai elder in Kenya.

                                My people have shared the grasslands with Africa's precious wildlife for centuries. But today we're being persecuted.

                                Families are getting pushed from their lands to make way for elite tourism -- and just across the border, we're being shot, beaten and evicted to allow luxury hunting. I fear for our children.

                                That's why my small community rose up to create Nashulai, the first Maasai-led conservation project, ever. Here, families stay on their lands, living alongside abundant wildlife. We've cleaned the rivers, our rangers prevent poaching, and 25 baby elephants were born last year!

                                But I'm writing because it's all under threat.

                                Our costs are soaring -- yet we're blocked from most conservation funds because they're reserved for traditional wildlife parks. These displace our people into slums and shanty towns. Without funding, we face the same future.

                                Avaaz members were pivotal in launching Nashulai. I'm humbly asking for help again.

                                Your donation will keep our crucial conservancy alive, supporting wildlife and thousands of Maasai families. You'd also be powering Avaaz campaigns for Indigenous rights.

                                We are the guardians of Earth's wildlife, rivers, and grasslands. But we can't do it alone. Please donate what you can now:  

                                I'LL DONATE €2  

                                I'LL DONATE €4  

                                I'LL DONATE €8  

                                I'LL DONATE €15  

                                I'LL DONATE €29  

                                OTHER AMOUNT  

                                In the great rush to protect Earth's biodiversity, Indigenous people are being evicted from the homelands we've cherished for generations. We're seen as obstacles to conservation, rather than critical allies with centuries of knowledge.

                                That's why Avaaz campaigns are so crucial. This movement is championing a call to protect half the planet in partnership with Indigenous communities, ensuring we aren't evicted in the name of so-called conservation. We need these campaigns more than ever.

                                Despite winning a prestigious UN award for our "paradigm-shifting" work, Nashulai struggles to access grants, because we don't fit the colonialist model of human-free conservation. But Nashulai proves another model can work -- it's a beacon of hope for countless communities who face losing their lands and livelihoods.

                                But today we need to help to keep our project alive. If we raise enough, we can:
                                a.. Pay rangers' salaries to help poaching levels remain at zero;
                                b.. Fund the maintenance and day-to-day running costs of our conservancy -- now over 15,000 acres and expanding rapidly;
                                c.. Fund community development programmes so local people can flourish as the guardians of vanishing species, including ranger training, healthcare, and school fees;
                                d.. Keep growing our project, in the hopes of creating the longest wildlife corridor in East Africa, critical for the survival of elephants; 
                                e.. And intensify Avaaz campaigns to defend the rights of Indigenous communities, and enshrine them in international law.
                                One of my greatest joys has been bringing this project to life. I believe in it with every bone in my body. Please donate what you can now:   
                                I'LL DONATE €2  

                                I'LL DONATE €4  

                                I'LL DONATE €8  

                                I'LL DONATE €15  

                                I'LL DONATE €29  

                                OTHER AMOUNT  

                                "Nashulai" is a special word in our language. It means a place of harmony where community and wildlife live in balance. My sincerest hope is that the whole world can find a sense of Nashulai -- that we treasure and protect this wild, beautiful planet, together. I know I share that hope with Avaaz members everywhere.

                                On behalf of my community, our warmest greetings, and endless thanks, 

                                Nelson Ole Reiyia and the people of Nashulai, with the whole team at Avaaz

                                PS. This might be your first donation to our movement ever. But what a first donation! Did you know that Avaaz relies entirely on small donations from members like you? That's why we're fully independent, nimble and effective. Join the over 1 million people who've donated to make Avaaz a real force for good in the world.

                                More information:

                                a.. Tanzania's Eviction of Maasai Pastoralists Continues (Human Rights Watch)
                                b.. Learn more about the Nashulai Conservancy
                                c.. East Africa must reject its colonial model of conserving wildlife (The Guardian)
                                d.. Fortress Conservation: A Legacy of Violence (Grist)

                        Avaaz is a 70-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 17 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  
                        To ensure that Avaaz messages reach your inbox, please add avaaz at avaaz.org to your address book. To change your email address, language settings, or other personal information, contact us  
                        To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact .  

                        27 Union Square West
                        Suite 500
                        New York, NY 10003  

            From: Nelson Ole Reiyia with Avaaz 
            Sent: Sunday, April 23, 2023 9:04 AM
            Subject: Guardians of the grassland

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.enwl.net.ru/pipermail/enwl-eng/attachments/20230424/dbee5a1b/attachment-0001.html>