My name is Nemonte Nenquimo -- I'm a Waorani woman, a mother, and an Earth defender from the Amazon. Right now, the Ecuadorian government is trying to quietly auction millions of acres of pristine rainforest to oil companies -- an area the size of 6 million football fields. This land is not empty, it's alive! It pulses with the scent of rain-soaked earth, the wisdom of our elders, and the laughter of our children. It is home. But if the government succeeds, our rivers will run black, forests will fall silent, and the lifeblood that has sustained us for centuries will be lost forever. So, we're taking them to court. The Waorani and other Indigenous Peoples are banding together to defend our land and our right to decide what happens in our home. With your support, we could help deploy top lawyers to challenge every sale and permit, expose the government's betrayal, and build an unstoppable Indigenous resistance -- ready to march, testify, and defend what is sacred. Your support will also fuel Avaaz's campaign to ignite a global movement for Indigenous rights. Five years ago, I led my people to a landmark court victory, stopping the government's sale of over half a million acres that my ancestors had safeguarded for generations. We were only able to do that because of the support of Avaaz members like you -- thank you! I'm asking for your help again -- only this time the stakes could not be higher. Please donate what you can now:
| Dear friends, | | My name is Nemonte Nenquimo -- I'm a Waorani woman, a mother, and an Earth defender from the Amazon.
Right now, the Ecuadorian government is trying to quietly auction millions of acres of pristine rainforest to oil companies -- an area the size of 6 million football fields.
This land is not empty, it's alive! It pulses with the scent of rain-soaked earth, the wisdom of our elders, and the laughter of our children. It is home.
But if the government succeeds, our rivers will run black, forests will fall silent, and the lifeblood that has sustained us for centuries will be lost forever. So, we're taking them to court.
The Waorani and other Indigenous Peoples are banding together to defend our land and our right to decide what happens in our home. With your support, we could help deploy top lawyers to challenge every sale and permit, expose the government's betrayal, and build an unstoppable Indigenous resistance -- ready to march, testify, and defend what is sacred.
Your support will also fuel Avaaz's campaign to ignite a global movement for Indigenous rights.
Five years ago, I led my people to a landmark court victory, stopping the government's sale of over half a million acres that my ancestors had safeguarded for generations. We were only able to do that because of the support of Avaaz members like you -- thank you!
I'm asking for your help again -- only this time the stakes could not be higher. Please donate what you can now: | | | | | | | | | | | | The government is trying to keep the auction in the shadows, but this betrayal is nothing new -- our ancestors have seen it before. Yet, one thing is certain: once the bulldozers arrive to tear down the forest, getting them out will be much harder. We've heard the lies -- sham 'consultations', meetings in languages we don't speak, and promises of schools and clinics that never came. But we know the truth. Oil has poisoned our children, decimated our animals, and ripped the rich fabric of our communities apart. We can stop this. But we're up against billion-dollar contracts, and this fight will be hard, even dangerous. But, now more than ever, our planet desperately needs climate wins. And for as long as we breathe, we will settle for nothing less. If we raise enough, we could:- Help fund a wave of coordinated, Indigenous-led lawsuits to save more than 8 million acres of Amazon from oil drilling;
- Support Indigenous resistance across the Amazon, like sponsoring Indigenous marches to the capital, advocacy meetings, and media tours to expose harms from extractive industries;
- Set up an emergency fund to help communities protect themselves from illegal incursions on their territory, including radio communications and monitoring equipment;
- Supercharge Avaaz's campaigns to help increase Indigenous land access and rights across the Amazon, and safeguard Indigenous rights globally.
Being Waorani is itself an act of resistance. Defending our land has been in our blood -- whether with peach palm spears, or with lawsuits and mass mobilisations. Today, more people than ever are standing with us to protect our way of life. Join us once again -- donate what you can now: | | | | | | | | | | | | I've learned that from every threat a chance is born to build something even stronger. In 2019, when saving 500,000 acres of our ancestral land felt impossible, dozens of communities united -- and thousands around the world stood with us. That was just the beginning. There are 8 million acres to defend now, and with this battle we will write a new chapter of Indigenous resistance.
For the forest, always,
Nemonte Nemquimo with Avaaz
Note: Nemonte Nenquimo is an Indigenous Waorani leader, activist, and defender of the Amazon rainforest. She co-founded Amazon Frontlines and the Ceibo Alliance. In 2019, she led a historic legal victory, protecting half a million acres of Indigenous land from oil extraction. She has received multiple international awards for her work on Indigenous rights and environmental justice.
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.
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