Community Voice amplifies meaningful stories about the impact community-led conservation is generating around the world.
Hear from Touch It, a REDD+ scholarship student studying Economics of Informational Technology. She hopes to become a professional marketing researcher working with local villagers and farmers in her community after she graduates.
Communities are building resilience to the far-reaching impacts of drought by embracing conservation agriculture and other strategies aimed at strengthening food security.
“If we lose the forest, we will also lose our traditional beliefs. The existence of the forest and our beliefs are intertwined; the forest’s presence allows our beliefs to persist.” -Ly Sareoun, Indigenous Bunong Community Member
Hear from community members about the positive impact REDD+ has had on their forests and livelihoods, and what life would have been like without it.
“I was born and grew up here, and can tell the difference between when the Kasigau project was here and when it wasn’t.” – Florence Malandi, Board of Management Chair, Kasigau.
At the age of 34, she is the REDD+ Community Chief of the Sre Lvi village and is a role model for young girls in her community.
“In the face of unprecedented threats to our planet, the active engagement and leadership of local communities is a critical component of securing a healthy future for wildlife and the environment.”
“I believe if you empower a woman, you empower the whole nation.” -Lucy Simantoi Sayiore, Kuku Group Ranch Community Member, Chyulu Hills.
Hear from Agnetta Godfrey about the important work the Hadithi Crafts Support Community Based Organization is doing with women across the Kasigau Corridor.
Ms. Pheang has played a remarkable role in mobilizing stakeholders to rebuild areas that were once threatened by deforestation. Through her leadership, she has encouraged women in her community to step forward and earn a better living.
“What I want to share with other young women in my community is to stay motivated and believe in yourselves. Whatever men can do, women can do.” -Yorn Sordet.
In Maasai culture, it is a rite of passage for a Moran (Warrior) to kill a lion. This has changed when conservation came. Now you don’t have to kill a lion to be called a Moran, you can earn that title by protecting them.
KSWS is home to more than 950 wild species, including 75 globally threatened species and plays a vital role in the preservation of the region’s important and vulnerable wildlife, including the world’s largest populations of endemic primates.
As we celebrate World Wildlife Day on 3rd March 2023, we would like to highlight the incredible work done by our rangers at the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project and share what has inspired them to live a life dedicated to protecting wildlife.
When looking for solutions to achieve the world’s collective climate goals, we must include local voices.
I strongly believe that among the different measures taken in the fight against climate change in the world, REDD+ projects can be one of the most successful initiatives with enough participation.
My role is to help amplify the voices of local and Indigenous people. For the world to hear their truth.
Their stories need to be shared so that people around the world can understand the drastic impacts climate change is having on local communities, right now.
As chief of the O Pong Rong Community Protected Area, Sari champions conservation and cultural preservation in the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, inspiring his community to safeguard the land that sustains them.
Dephence Mdamu’s work at the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project spans data management, wildlife tracking, and changing local attitudes about conservation. Learn how her role is helping both the environment and her community thrive.
In the heart of Koh Kong province, Mr. Tith Ly and his Chorng Indigenous community are safeguarding their ecosystem and revitalizing livelihoods. By partnering with the Southern Cardamom REDD+ Project, they are turning their deep connection to nature into a sustainable path forward, ensuring a thriving future for both their people and the forest.
“Through this ecotourism initiative, we are able to conserve the forest, protect our ancestral land, and preserve our tradition. And at the same time, wildlife’s habitat and their sources of food will be safeguarded.”
In the village of Ikita by Lake Mai-Ndombe, Boongo Phillip, a 60-year-old primary school teacher, exemplifies resilience and aspiration. Overcoming discrimination and financial hardships, he returned to school at 55 through a Mai-Ndombe REDD+ project bursary, graduating high school at 56. Now teaching at a school built by the project, Boongo inspires his community with his dedication to education and his hope for a brighter future for the next generation.
“In Cambodia, where rising temperatures have caused many of our water sources – such as rivers, ponds, and small brick wells – to dry up, the REDD+ Project’s provision of water couldn’t have come at a better time.”
“If we plant these trees in our fields, the future generation will learn certain things through these trees that we want to preserve. If we destroy them, the next generation will have no knowledge about the trees we want to preserve.”
The Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project uses football to unite and educate the community about environmental conservation. Matches between staff and locals raise awareness about wildlife protection, address environmental issues, and promote sustainable agriculture. These events foster collaboration and highlight community-led projects funded through carbon credit revenue, making sustainability a shared goal.
“Since the first solar-powered water well, child deaths have dropped significantly, and there are no more waterborne epidemics.”
The Ushanga Kenya project empowers over 3,200 Maasai women through beadwork. This initiative fosters economic growth and sustainable livelihoods by enhancing skills and marketing Ushanga jewelry. With resource centers across the ranches, collaboration between Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project and Ushanga Kenya aims to bring these creations to national and international markets, directly benefiting the female artisans.
Empowering Bunong heritage, the Krama Weaving Group, part of the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary REDD+ project, modernizes traditional weaving, enhancing efficiency and cultural preservation. With a focus on community collaboration, it introduces innovative techniques to scale production, currently engaging 34 women from Pu Rang and Pu Tang villages.
The Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary (KSWS) REDD+ Project partners with local communities through initiatives like Cash for Communities (C4C), providing direct financial support for projects like cow-raising, chicken rearing, and aquaculture. This approach fosters economic growth and natural resource conservation, contributing to deforestation mitigation.
In Q1 2024, the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project initiated vital initiatives to improve education and sanitation. Through community collaboration and government support, 28 toilets were constructed and 12 classrooms were renovated, directly benefiting thousands of students. These efforts enhance education access and promote better health outcomes in the project area.
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project, led by community leaders and our local engagement team, is committed to improving the well-being of communities. Ongoing efforts include constructing facilities, addressing transportation barriers, and collaborating with public health officials to prevent future epidemics, significantly benefiting community healthcare access.
I can confidently say that effective collaboration with local communities is indispensable for any conservation initiative to be successful. This conviction is the driving force behind my advocacy for the adoption of REDD+ as a transformative model that enhances lives, underlining the importance of amplifying the community’s voice.
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project, spanning 300,000 hectares along Lake Mai Ndombe’s shore, plays a crucial role in the province’s development. Once abundant with fish, overfishing and mosquito net use led to depletion. To counter this, Wildlife Works initiated a fish farming program with eight ponds, replenishing stocks and providing income.
“I was born and grew up here, and can tell the difference between when the Kasigau project was here and when it wasn’t.” – Florence Malandi, Board of Management Chair, Kasigau.
Hear from community members about the positive impact REDD+ has had on their forests and livelihoods, and what life would have been like without it.
Communities are building resilience to the far-reaching impacts of drought by embracing conservation agriculture and other strategies aimed at strengthening food security.
The sight of crop failure, soil erosion, animal carcasses, and dry dams paints a grim picture of the unprecedented drought that continues in the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project area in Kenya.
“If we lose the forest, we will also lose our traditional beliefs. The existence of the forest and our beliefs are intertwined; the forest’s presence allows our beliefs to persist.” -Ly Sareoun, Indigenous Bunong Community Member
At the age of 34, she is the REDD+ Community Chief of the Sre Lvi village and is a role model for young girls in her community.
Phyee Ruonh works tirelessly to improve his community’s livelihood, to protect the spiritual forest and his ancestral land.
Learn about some of the most significant individuals in the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project who have taken up key leadership positions in their respective communities, championing for its well being.
David’s hope for the future is that everybody strives to understand how nature works and that people develop a sense of care.
What inspires Anastacia to do the kind of job she does is her passion for gender equality. She hopes that harmful practices such as FGM will be a thing of the past.
Our communities are realizing the importance of education through the transformative change that is happening where children complete their education and have careers that give back to society.
Parents living in the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary REDD+ Project zone help send their children to school through their involvement in forest protection
Mary, Wisdom and Emmanuel from the Wildlife Works Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project in Kenya share the challenges their communities face in accessing quality education and their hopes and ambitions for the future.
Hear from Touch It, a REDD+ scholarship student studying Economics of Informational Technology. She hopes to become a professional marketing researcher working with local villagers and farmers in her community after she graduates.
Hear from Thorn Khak, a REDD+ scholarship student who is studying agricultural science and hopes to become a specialist in his field working in his local community.
Hear from Pich Savary, a REDD+ scholarship student studying tourism who hopes to share her knowledge and promote ecotourism on a larger scale when she graduates.
Hear from Tith Sour, an Indigenous REDD+ scholarship student studying Agricultural Information Technology who hopes to become a web developer with professional skills to help develop his community and protect forests and natural resources.
More than ever, I think it is essential to include local and Indigenous voices in these conferences. We are the ones who have been sustaining the Earth up to now.
Evans Mwadembe, a small-scale farmer in rural Southeastern Kenya, agrees that it is high time rich nations compensate countries that suffer the most from climate change.
En, Hang, and Prum from the Southern Cardamom REDD+ Project in Cambodia share the challenges their communities are facing due to climate change and are calling on World Leaders to invest into conservation in Cambodia.
Peon, Korn, and Srev from the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary REDD+ Project in Cambodia share how the impacts of climate change are affecting their ability to cultivate food and are calling on World Leaders to help protect their natural resources.
Martha, Benson, Mariam and Bonafice from the Wildlife Works Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project in Kenya share how the ongoing drought has impacted their communities and are calling on World Leaders to preserve their forests.
The Community Chief along with his villagers joined hands and echoed together that they have taken an oath to protect their forest and wildlife. Likewise, they request everyone to do the same. “Together we can protect the future.”
The Indigenous Bungong People are vested stakeholders in protecting their traditional land and are calling on World Leaders to do their part to preserve forests and wildlife for the next generation.
Communities who contribute the least to emissions are suffering the most due to lack of capacity to adapt to climate change.
The world needs forest communities’ leadership, knowledge and equal participation to meet our global climate goals.
