First published on 03/28/2019, and last updated on 03/30/2019
Cultural Survival’s Keepers of the Earth Fund provided in 2018 thirty small grants to groups in 19 countries, among which two are ICCA Consortium close partners: the Coalition Against Land Grabbing (CALG, Philippines, member of the ICCA Consortium) and the Coordinadora de Comunidades Mapuche-Williche “Willi Lafken Weychan” (Chile)
These small grants ( up to $10,000) are designed to support Indigenous Peoples’ community advocacy and development projects. They go directly to grassroots Indigenous organizations and groups to support their self-designed projects based on local, traditional values. Projects address a vast array of economic and cultural development strategies including cultural retention, language revitalization, food sovereignty, climate change, gender equality, battling extractive industries, Free, Prior and Informed Consent, leadership and governance. Since 2007, the Fund has provided nearly $2.6 million in grants and technical assistance to over 400 Indigenous-led projects in 65 countries around the world.
About these organisations:
- Coalition Against Land Grabbing (CALG) – Pala’wan (Philippines)
Regaining control over ancestral domain and customary resources in Southern Pala’wan.
The Pala’wan, Tagbanuwa, and Batak Peoples in the province of Palawan are fighting to protect their ancestral lands from land grabbing by mining firms, palm oil companies, and monoculture plantations. CALG will work towards defending the land of 400 Indigenous families through targeted legal campaigns against land grabbing companies, provide paralegal and financial assistance to communities impacted by displacement and land encroachment. CALG will facilitate the efforts of Indigenous environmental and human rights defenders and aid in peacefully preventing the expansion of agribusiness firms through consistent documentation of the impact these firms impose on Indigenous communities. - Coordinadora de Comunidades Mapuche-Williche “Willi Lafken Weychan” (WLW) – Mapuche-Williche (Chile)
Conserving coastal and marine areas using traditional knowledge.
The Mapuche-Williche communities are working to conserve coastal and marine bodies from the degradation caused by fishing industries. La Coordinadora will assist communities along the coast of Chile to register and seek authority over the lands through the Chilean government’s conservation program, with the goal to implement autonomous traditional Indigenous conservation efforts in Mapuche-Williche communities. This initiative will facilitate communication between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples that share the land and promote sustainable management of local natural resources.
