*[Enwl-eng] Guardians of the grassland

[enwl]

--> My name is Emmanuel, and I'm a Maasai elder in Kenya. Our lands are 
under threat.









                                Dear Avaaz family,
                                My name is Emmanuel Chui, and I used to be a 
notorious wildlife poacher.

                                I did it to feed my family, but now my 
life's turned around.

                                A few years ago, Avaaz members helped my 
community create 'Nashulai', the world's first Maasai-led conservation area. 
Now I work as a wildlife ranger, helping to protect the animals I once 
hunted.

                                At Nashulai, we can earn a living, educate 
our children, and are building a vibrant community that lives alongside 
abundant wildlife. We've cleaned the rivers, and revived an ancient elephant 
birthing ground -- 25 baby elephants were born last year!

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

                                Costs are soaring and tourism hasn't 
recovered since the pandemic. Yet we're blocked from most conservation funds 
because they're reserved for traditional, human-free wildlife parks. These 
reserves displace my people, pushing us into slums and shanty towns. Without 
funds, we face the same future -- some of us already work temporarily 
without pay.

                                Avaaz members were pivotal before -- now 
we're humbly asking again.

                                Your donation will keep our beautiful 
conservancy alive, supporting wildlife, and thousands of Maasai families, 
like mine. It would help pay our rangers, fund nature restoration, and 
provide community healthcare. You'll also be powering Avaaz campaigns for 
Indigenous rights around the world.

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




                                I'LL DONATE $2

                                I'LL DONATE $3

                                I'LL DONATE $4

                                I'LL DONATE $5

                                I'LL DONATE $8

                                OTHER AMOUNT

                                In the stampede to protect Earth's wildlife, 
Indigenous people are being evicted from the homelands we've loved 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. 
Your community is championing a call to protect half the planet, in 
partnership with Indigenous communities. This helps to ensure we aren't 
evicted in the name of so-called conservation -- and we need these campaigns 
more than ever.

                                Nashulai won a UN award for our 
"paradigm-shifting" work, but we still struggle to get funding, because we 
don't fit the traditional model of conservation. But our project is working, 
and it's a beacon of hope for countless communities who face losing their 
lands and livelihoods. We cannot let this dream die.

                                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.
                                Because of Nashulai, I can work as a ranger, 
and I've seen how the wildlife is flooding back. I can afford to feed and 
educate my children. That's changed everything. Please support our beautiful 
project, donate what you can now:
                                I'LL DONATE $2

                                I'LL DONATE $3

                                I'LL DONATE $4

                                I'LL DONATE $5

                                I'LL DONATE $8

                                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,

                                Emmanuel Chui and the people of Nashulai, 
with the whole team at Avaaz




                                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)







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From: Emmanuel Chui with Avaaz
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2023 9:04 AM
Subject: Guardians of the grassland

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