When I joined Survival’s global campaign to save the Awá in Brazil, some of whom are uncontacted, the fight seemed impossible. Their forest was being felled at a faster rate than that of any other uncontacted people, and they were entirely surrounded by loggers and ranchers. But, after years of campaigning, we won. A large-scale operation was launched to remove illegal invaders from the Awá’s territory.
Survival has only been able to achieve this and other victories thanks to their supporters, and has depended heavily on gifts in wills to sustain their work. A legacy to Survival helps to ensure the survival of Indigenous peoples across the world, and of humankind as a whole.
Indigenous peoples are the best conservationists of our natural world. Deforestation rates are much lower on Indigenous peoples’ lands, and their territories contain 80% of the world’s biodiversity. Recognising Indigenous lands is not just their right – it is also key to protecting the planet, as shown by the Awá: if it weren’t for them, the extraordinary, dense forest making up their territory might have been completely ravaged by logging.
