Dear Jack,

The Indigenous Mashco Piro in Peru are one of the most threatened peoples on the planet. Though they’ve fought for decades to defend themselves, right now their situation is critical. But it’s not too late: if their territory is protected, the Mashco Piro will thrive.

The year is 1894, and it's the height of the rubber boom in the Amazon. Rubber barons buy up much of the rainforest and enslave thousands of Indigenous people to collect wild rubber. Countless others are tortured, starved or killed. Most of the Mashco Piro tribe is wiped out. But some escape.

The surviving Mashco Piro flee deep into the rainforest and begin to rebuild their lives. They reject any further contact with outsiders, and their community starts to flourish once more. Over a century later, in 2024, their descendants now number more than 750 – they’re believed to be the largest uncontacted tribe on the planet.

But today, even their last refuge is under threat. Their survival is on a knife-edge. But Jack, you can help change that.

Only part of the Mashco Piro’s territory is legally protected. The Peruvian government has handed over the rest to logging companies that are destroying the Mashco Piro’s rainforest and livelihoods at a devastating rate. As the bulldozers plough deeper into the forest, the Mashco Piro risk being wiped out by diseases to which they have no immunity, and violent clashes with the loggers are alarmingly common.

Survival International is working alongside Indigenous organizations to support the Mashco Piro and other threatened peoples in defending their territories. But we can’t do it without your help. Jack, please stand with us today – tomorrow might be too late.

Right now, your donation can have twice the impact. December 3rd is Giving Tuesday, a day that harnesses our collective power for change. This year, generous donors have agreed to match all donations up to £90,000 / $115,000, doubling the value of your gift at no extra cost to you. Jack, will you join the fight?

Many thanks,

Caroline Pearce
Director