Programs originate with Rainforest
Foundation Norway, Rainforest Foundation UK, Rainforest Foundation US, Equipe de
Conservção da Amazônia (ECAM,
Brazil), Etnobotanica (Bolivia), Frente de Defensa de Amazonia (Ecuador),
ClearWater and various indigenous organizations within rainforest countries. We
assess each program based on stringent criteria, the most important being the
empowerment and ownership of the beneficiaries. Planning and implementation measures must be
conducted primarily by the beneficiaries as all programs and activities should
strengthen the peoples themselves.
The funding cycle begins at the end of October each year.
In the first years of work, the Rainforest Foundation focused on the Amazon region of Brazil, per the promise made by Sting to the indigenous leader Raoni, of the Kayapó tribe, to help him and his people obtain legal rights to their traditional land.
This commitment was fulfilled in 1992, thanks to the generous contributions of people from all over the world. The physical demarcation of the Kayapó tribe’s land was undertaken with the indigenous people themselves through the most modern technology.
In fulfilling the promise, the Rainforest Foundation became Rainforest Fund and broadened involvement in all of the world’s rainforests.
The organizations jointly known as Rainforest Foundation, founded by Sting and Trudie Styler in 1989, have been supporting indigenous peoples and traditional populations of the rainforest in their efforts to conserve their land and defend their rights. In its first years of work, the Rainforest Foundation focused on the Amazon region of Brazil, as the very first action was a promise made by Sting to the indigenous leader Raoni, of the Kayapó tribe, to help him and his people obtain legal rights to their traditional land. The promise was fulfilled in 1992. Since our beginning, programs have been developed throughout Brazil in multi-ethnic indigenous territories and then diversified by initiating new countries such as Belize, Cameroon, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. Our approach has always been one of supporting on the ground projects initiated and carried out by local non-governmental organizations and indigenous groups, dealing with land rights, community organization, forest protection and resource inventories, as well as legal support, human rights protection, campaigning and advocacy.
With the experience gained during years of work, the Rainforest Foundation as a whole developed even more professional and consistent programs, expanding in Africa through the specialization of RF UK, in Asia through the expertise of RF Norway, and the Americas where RF US broadened its involvement and expertise. In 2014, our work continues with many of the multi-year projects mentioned above, with a particular focus on extractive industries.
The Rainforest Fund is a charitable foundation dedicated to the support of indigenous peoples and traditional populations in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfill their rights.
We are convinced that accepted environmental and human rights principles embody the right of everyone to a secure, healthy and ecologically sound environment, and that environmental degradation leads to human rights violations such as the right to life, health and culture.
The Rainforest Fund bears in mind the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights, and carries out its mission by:
Funding programs and projects aimed at supporting indigenous peoples and traditional populations of the rainforests to assert their rights, to promote a sustainable development of their communities and to challenge governmental practices that have a damaging effect on their environment.
There are over one million forest-dwelling Indians in South America, several hundred thousand Pygmies in African forests, and hundreds of different indigenous communities living in the forests of Papua New Guinea, Borneo, The Philippines, Malaysia, Burma and Thailand.
Only these peoples, after centuries of adaptation, have learned how to deal with their environment without destroying it.
For over two decades, the Rainforest Fund has been supporting these indigenous and tribal communities helping them to defend their rights and protect their environment and land.As a matter of principle and good governance, the RFUND will grant only 80% of the total budget of the project. Projects shall preferably have one year duration, will be assessed year by year, and will not go beyond a third year in order to avoid dependency.
We strengthen and support local civil organizations and forest communities’ rights to their land, resources and ensure that justice systems return favorable jurisprudence.
Protect and Defend Indigenous Rights and Governance through REDD+ – This is a pilot project in the DRC to promote greater involvement and consideration of the rights and interests in the REDD+ process and its activities in field projects. Indigenous peoples will understand their rights and be able to advocate for them.
Community rights and conservation in the Congo Basin – Comptoir juidique junior & ALPSCO - This project is in its Second year which aims to promote local and indigenous peoples’ rights in the context of conservation projects in the Congo Basin. Conservation is contentious as competing interests often ignore indigenous peoples who live in harmony with their natural environments, but are often treated by governments and big industry as threats and violate their human rights.
We provide integral support to groups in Indonesia who fight for the recognition of their rights to exist, to control their land and to sustain their economies autonomously.
Protection of the forest in the Bird Head region of West Papua through sustainable management of the forest by the local communities and the government - This project is in its third year of funding, led by Paradisea, and works to establish green corridors within nature reserves in West Papua where indigenous communities are secured in their rights to manage the forest sustainably, according to their needs, while protecting the forest from industrial exploitation.
Strengthen the participation of the Mentawai people in the design and implementation of public policies and in the management of their natural resources in a fair and sustainable way - Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM) continues this project for the second year supporting an alternative model for managing natural resources in a traditional and sustainable way so that the Mentawai people can be more independent economically with increased income from traditional agriculture and can influence public policies relating to natural resource management to bring an alternative to monoculture and industrial agriculture schemes.
In Brazil, Panama, Peru, and Ecuador our projects support land protection and monitoring; right to water; and natural resource management.
Strengthening the Tembe community of Para state in the Brazilian Amazon by improving their institutional capacity and implementing their Vigilance Plan - Equipe de Conservção da Amazônia (ECAM) – Support for the Tembe extends into its third year in 2016. The Tembe have developed management plans and are working to publish them after gaining consensus of the entire tribe. Park Guards continue to survey the tribe's borders and internal areas to protect against illegal outside incursions by cattle ranchers and loggers.
Strengthening of the Wai Wai people of the
Trombetas Indigenous lands within the context of the National Policy for
Environmental Management on Indigenous Territories (PNGATI) - ECAM - 2016 is the second year of funding which seeks to
strengthen the Wai Wai community in the face of increasing pressure on their
traditional lands through creation of a territorial management plan, together
with the strengthening of the Wai Wai association APIM.
Laying the Groundwork for titling the Tagarkunyal Ancestral Territory – Congreso General del Territorio Ancestral Dule Tagarkunyal -This project seeks to prepare for land title applications of the Guna tribe's land, which includes some of their most sacred sites.
Strengthening Capacity for the Protection and
Management of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve – ECA
– In its third year, this project works to promote community-based protection
and management of the Amarakaeri Reserve by implementing a community
environmental monitoring program and strengthening internal governance
Territorial Security and Access to Justice for the Indigenous Asheninka Community of Alto Tamaya Saweto - Native Community of Alto Tamaya Saweto - This is a first year project in support of a community that numbers only about 130 people but whose lands exceed 80,000 hectares. Four of the tribe's leaders were killed in 2014 and their community seeks justice for the crimes committed, as well as assistance in securing their newly demarcated borders.
WATER PROJECT - CEIBO Alliance - The Water Project Continues this year, with the implementing organization Ceibo. The Ceibo Alliance is an official indigenous-led non-profit in Ecuador comprised of the Waorani, Secoya, Siona, Cofan and Kichwa Communities who together determine their needs and strategies for meeting those needs. of support for the
indigenous peoples in Ecuador’s Northern Amazon. In 2015, water tank installations continued with great success, and we expect that by 2017, all indigenous familieis in need in the region will have access to clean, fresh water. In 2016, tank installations continue, as well as additional projects including: River Quality Monitoring, Territorial Mapping, Indigenous Rights Defenders, Women's Empowerment, and Cultural Revival. See the project video here: https://youtu.be/UA8WgG4jbrs
Rainforest Fund welcomes the opportunity to discuss a variety of partnerships, and each one is subject to rigorous investigations into the company’s supply chains and business practices to ensure strict adherence to human rights and sustainability policies.
All potential partnerships will be treated and considered individually, and Rainforest Fund will work with a company to achieve mutual goals. As standard practice for corporate partnerships, Rainforest Fund will deliver the following:
Possible forms of corporate partnership include:
For more information or to discuss partnership, please email Madeleine at firstname.lastname@example.org.