Terezinha, thousands of Maasai families could lose water and medical services in weeks. This is how you can help.
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Dear Terezinha,
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The Maasai of Ngorongoro are running out of time.
The Tanzanian government has been on the attack for years -- burning homes and trying to evict entire communities to clear the way for elephant hunting and luxury tourism.
Now two presidential commissions are openly pushing for mass evictions, and thousands of families could lose access to water, medical care, and grazing rights in weeks.
The Maasai don't just live in Ngorongoro -- their entire way of life is deeply woven into the grasslands, rivers, and open plains. They've successfully protected these lands for generations, so it's no wonder that wildlife is abundant or that elephants give birth here. And that's exactly why the government wants these lands for trophy hunting.
We cannot let it happen.
Avaaz members provided ALL the funding for a critical court case that previously blocked mass evictions. But now the government is more determined than ever. Maasai elders are calling for our support because they simply don't have the money for expensive legal battles, and time is running out.
Together, we could fund top lawyers to challenge new evictions in court, protect Maasai families at immediate risk, and help to fund Maasai wildlife conservation projects. Your donation will also power Avaaz campaigns across the Amazon, supporting Indigenous communities to win legal rights to their ancestral lands.
This is a call to stand with Earth's most passionate defenders -- please donate what you can now:
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Elephants still give birth on the Maasai grasslands of Tanzania -- but now the government wants to open these lands to elephant hunting and luxury tourism. Maasai elders are calling for urgent support.
This fundraiser isn't just about stopping evictions. It's about protecting some of the last truly wild places left on Earth -- and backing the very communities who have kept them alive until now.
From the Maasai grasslands of East Africa to the towering canopy of the Amazon rainforest, Indigenous peoples have safeguarded the world's most biodiverse places for generations. Study after study shows that when Indigenous communities retain control over their lands, wildlife is more abundant, ecosystems are healthier, and destruction slows dramatically.
That's why this work matters so much. By making a donation today you'll help to fund Avaaz's work with Indigenous communities, defending the guardians of the Earth's most precious ecosystems. If we raise enough, we could:
- Fund the Maasai legal defence, supporting research, evidence-gathering, and a bold legal team to challenge evictions in court;
- Support ground-breaking Maasai conservation projects, protecting critical ecosystems and proving that Maasai communities can coexist alongside wildlife;
- Power historic land rights victories for Indigenous communities -- with Indigenous-led advocacy tours, cutting legal briefs, public mobilisations, and inspiring media takeovers;
- Launch a rapid-response fund to support Indigenous leaders who are defending the planet's rivers, reefs, and rainforests; and,
- Run bold Avaaz campaigns, standing alongside Indigenous communities to protect critical ecosystems and the balance of life on Earth.
Please donate what you can now:
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We know the Maasai can win. We helped block a huge round of evictions and funded a model of conservation that proves that wildlife and people can thrive together. Everything Avaaz does is thanks to millions of people around the world; let's keep standing together for justice and a collective responsibility for the Earth’s memories and wellbeing.
In solidarity,
Adela, Mike, Marigona, Kaitlin and the whole team at Avaaz
Why your support matters, right now
- The Maasai are defending some of the last great grasslands on Earth -- lands where wildlife is abundant, thanks to careful conservation by Maasai communities. By standing with them, we help to protect these living landscapes from trophy hunting, land grabs, and destructive development.
- Avaaz members have already helped to fund major legal victories that blocked previous mass evictions in Ngorongoro, allowing thousands of Maasai families to remain on their ancestral lands. Your donations also helped fund strategic court cases defending Maasai communities against arbitrary arrests, criminalisation, and land dispossession -- strengthening legal recognition of Indigenous rights in Tanzania. But now the government is back, more determined than ever, and our movement is needed again.
- This is part of Avaaz's wider work alongside Indigenous communities around the world -- because when Indigenous peoples lose their lands, forests are cut down, rivers are polluted, and fragile ecosystems are opened to mining, drilling, and destructive development. By helping communities win recognition of their land rights, we help protect some of the most alive and biodiverse places left on Earth.
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More information:
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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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 22 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
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