Dear Jack,

When Paulo Paulino Guajajara stared up the barrel of the shotgun that would end his life, his prediction that he would die protecting his beloved rainforest came true.

“My mother told me to stop doing this work,” Paulo told Survival in 2017. “I told her I’m not scared, that she should let me fight. Because I have a son. And he will need the forest.”

“Even if they kill me, I won’t stop fighting.”

Paulo was murdered in 2019. But the Guajajara Guardians will not give up, and neither will Survival. To give Indigenous peoples the backing they need, we rely on your regular support. Jack, will you set up a regular donation today?

Paulo is one of at least six Guajajara Guardians who have been murdered defending their land — Arariboia Indigenous Territory in the Brazilian Amazon — against illegal ranchers. This battle is relentless and deadly. But it’s one the Guardians can’t afford to lose. Their work forces the Brazilian government to evict the invaders and properly protect Arariboia — and the future of their forest, their families, and their uncontacted Awá neighbors.

Survival supports the work of the Guajajara Guardians and other Indigenous land defenders worldwide. We use our platforms and influence in public forums to help amplify their voices, lobby for their rights, and bring global attention to the challenges they face and the resistance they mount.

Paulo dedicated his life to this battle, and his resistance continues even in death. Survival will always stand by Indigenous Peoples as they defend their lands and their lives. But our long-term commitment requires your long-term support.

Survival rejects funding from governments and from companies that violate Indigenous peoples’ rights, so your support gifts us our independence. Jack, please set up a regular donation today.

If you’re unable to give monthly, you can make a single donation here. Every contribution counts.

Thank you,

Caroline Pearce
Director