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This autumn we are raising funds to support 12 female climate activists. In Mexico, women are on the frontlines of climate change — but they need your support to lead the fight for a sustainable future. The stakes are high and time is running out. You can help women break through the barriers of inequality to deliver real, lasting change for their communities and the environment. Can you help?
The first £5,000 of donations made between midday on October 10th and midday on October 17th will be doubled through Big Give’s Women and Girls campaign. Thank you for your support.
Protecting territory is deeply connected to preserving nature and community resilience. Safeguarding the land is essential to safeguarding the identity, dignity and future of its people.
Beacons of Hope for our Planet
Imagine the Cuxtal Ecological Reserve near Mérida, Mexico — a lush sanctuary that provides 50% of the city’s drinking water. Now picture the women of Molas and eight other indigenous communities who live in the reserve: they only receive water for only a few hours each day that’s heavily chlorinated and there is barely enough to meet their needs.
Meet Alejandrina
Alejandrina: A beacon of hope in a challenging landscape
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Alejandrina is a beacon of hope in this challenging landscape. She runs a women-led garden project within the reserve, striving to transform their limited resources into lush green spaces. However, the poor quality of their water has devastated their crops. Determined to make a change, Alejandrina wants to install rainwater collectors in five backyard gardens, turning scarce resources into abundant growth.
Climate change is not just an environmental issue — it’s a matter of justice. Those least responsible for the crisis, often women and marginalised communities, suffer the most.
Background
Amos Trust’s Climate and Gender Fellowship Programme emerged from a powerful Climate Conference in Cambridge in 2019, where over 30 organisations and activists came together (see the above film). From this gathering, three key goals emerged:
Doing Hope in Mexico and Central America
The 2024-25 Climate and Gender Fellowship will support 12 young women activists across Central America and Mexico, like Alejandrina, who are turning local action into global impact in the face of the climate emergency. Through this fellowship, Amos Trust will offer training and seed funding, enabling these women to safeguard their environments and elevate their roles in protecting these vital areas.
This autumn’s appeal aims to fuel their efforts, ensuring that their courage and innovation lead to a more just and sustainable future.
The challenges they face are monumental. In Mexico and Central America, issues like forced displacement, water contamination, soil degradation and deforestation are compounded by patriarchal structures and invasive projects. Yet, these twelve activists are undeterred. They understand that defending their land means preserving their culture, identity and community well-being.
Meet two more remarkable women from this year’s Climate Fellowship
Sinai
Sinai: Protecting ancestral water collection practices
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Sinaí’s project aims to revive ancestral water collection practices rooted in Mayan culture in Santa Maria Chi, a community struggling with severe water contamination caused by a nearby pig farm. In response, the community has organised protests to raise awareness of the local government’s failure to safeguard their water resources. The collected water will support women in their daily activities, such as cleaning, washing, bathing and irrigating plants.
Cinthia
Cinthia: Dedicated to solving waste management problems in Kinil
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Cinthia is dedicated to solving waste management problems in Kinil, a community plagued by unsanitary conditions and environmental risks. Her project aims to implement community-driven waste solutions, preventing health hazards and protecting their fragile ecosystem.
Through the fellowship, we hope to foster solidarity and strengthen the collective efforts of these 12 women who, against great odds, continue to stand up for their territories, their rights and a more just and sustainable world.
Will you join us in supporting Alejandrina, Sinai, Cinthia — and the other nine Climate Fellowship activists? Your contribution can empower them to make a tangible difference in their communities and offer hope to our planet.
Here’s how your support can make an impact:
Together, we can support these courageous women as they defend their lands, uplift their communities and inspire a brighter future for all.
We work alongside grass-roots partners in Palestine, South Africa, Nicaragua, Burundi, India and Tanzania.
Reaching children on the streets, addressing their trauma, working with them and their families to reintegrate them into their homes, to realise their rights and recover their future.
Working with local and international peace activists, and partnering with grass-roots projects, to call for a just peace, reconciliation and full equal rights for all Palestinians and Israelis.
Addressing the impact of climate change and the causes of extreme poverty, building sustainable rural communities and empowering them to realise their rights.
Bringing people together to meet our partners from around the world, visiting the communities they work in and seeing their projects in action — building solidarity and lasting friendships.
Amos Trust
7 Bell Yard, London
WC2A 2JR
UK
Telephone:
+44 (0) 203 725 3493
Email:
[email protected]
Registered Charity No.
1164234
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