Introducing Our 2025 Earth Guardians: Grant Awardees Boosting Indigenous Wisdom to Fight Climate Change and Aid in Post-Disaster Relief Efforts

In a world grappling with the impacts of climate change, the Keepers of the Earth Fund (KOEF) is making a significant difference by empowering Indigenous communities to address these challenges head-on. Based at Cultural Survival, KOEF is an Indigenous-led fund designed to strengthen advocacy and community development projects globally.

In 2025, KOEF supported 65 Indigenous projects and collectives across 26 countries, totalling $531,000. The projects focused on climate change adaptation and resilience actions.

One of the grant partners, the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of Napo (FOIN) based in Ecuador, is monitoring the Napo River basin and its sub-basins for impacts of mining activity. Similarly, the Wasapana Dagua Reserve in Colombia is improving the roofs of houses in the reserve to protect inhabitants from rains.

In Mexico, communities like San Isidro Metlatónoc, San Lucas, and Llano de Heno have used funds to mitigate food shortages caused by natural disasters. San Isidro Metlatónoc conducted a medical awareness campaign and provided care for common gastrointestinal conditions, while San Lucas purchased corn to alleviate food shortages caused by hurricane John. Llano de Heno community mitigated food shortages due to crop losses by purchasing corn for affected families.

Tilapa Communal Property Commission in Mexico and Nepali Majhi Mahila Utthan Sangh in Nepal distributed relief food items to families affected by floods. The Nepal Tamang Women Ghedung in Nepal distributed zinc sheets for water purification to families affected by floods.

Indigenous Women's League Nepal provided relief after floods, including food, clothing, temporary shelter, and crop seeds. Sunuwar Women's Society in Nepal also provided relief after floods, offering essential foods, hygiene items, and support to a family who lost a member.

The Network of Quechua Indigenous Communicators in Peru is addressing climate change adaptation and the loss of ancestral knowledge. The Mañica Indigenous Community in Bolivia is proposing the construction of a spillway to redirect water flows in order to steward the water consumed by the community.

The Comunidad Indígena Santa Rosa del Pueblo Qom based in Paraguay is another grant partner. Their project, "Alpi Lañaxá La fuerza de las Mujeres" aims to defend territory and water, strengthen culture and language, teach traditional medicine to youth, reforest with native plants, and conduct intergenerational knowledge exchange workshops.

The South-South Struggle Coordinator based in Costa Rica is also a grant partner of KOEF. Their project aims to support community-led environmental and cultural initiatives. The National Agrarian Confederation (CNA) based in Peru is another grant partner, proposing to develop workshops to formulate a culturally relevant management plan to address climate change.

In October 2024, KOEF partners in Nepal and Mexico faced consequences of climate change such as flooding and landslides, for which emergency grants were allocated.

By supporting these Indigenous projects and collectives, KOEF is not only helping communities adapt to climate change but also preserving and promoting Indigenous knowledge and cultures, ensuring a more sustainable and equitable future for all.