Ranu Welum Founder and Dayak leader, Shinta Emmanuela, shares with us a recent documentary film produced by Al Jazeera which she hopes “can bring more awareness to the situation in Kalimantan and shed light on the role of Indigenous youth as the guardians of their forest.”

In a remarkable triumph for gender empowerment and environmental consciousness, the Ranu Welum Foundation has achieved unprecedented success in educating the public about climate change through online platforms. Their tireless efforts have reached an astonishing 291,617 online women users between the ages 18 to 44, inspiring a wave of positive change within the community of Kalimantan. Read the full update on Ranu Welum’s website here: ranuwelum.org/news/2024/1/14/paving-the-way-for-climate-education-revolution-for-indigenous-women-and-girls-in-kalimantan

Ranu Welum Foundation have reached an astonishing 291,617 online women users between the ages 18 to 44, inspiring a wave of positive change within the community of Kalimantan. Photo: Ranu Welum

Youth Act, a green movement [that] aims to mobilise youth for protection against climate change disaster. Through its tireless efforts in tree planting, forest mapping, and fire fighting, the [Youth Act] foundation has successfully rehabilitated a vast area of 2,271 hectares, which were once ravaged by harmful practices and forest fires. Read the full article on Ranu Welum’s website at: ranuwelum.org/news/2024/1/14/restoring-and-protecting-kalimantan-the-remarkable-work-of-dayak-youth

Ranu Welum Foundation’s Youth Act Movement is made up of many young female volunteers who are battling the fires of Borneo’s Kalimantan. Photo: Ranu Welum

HELP US TO SAVE TALEKOI FOREST!

In South Kalimantan, 399,000 hectares (41%) of the 974,000 hectares of Meratus forest area are controlled by mining permits. West Kalimantan is now ranked as the province with the second largest oil palm plantation area, which is 2 million hectares out of a total of 5.8 million hectares of oil palm in Kalimantan. Meanwhile, Central Kalimantan is the third largest with an area of 1.9 million hectares.

Not only have these extractive industries taken a toll on the land and violated the rights of the Dayak communities, they have also become a significant threat to the survival of the endemic plants of Borneo.  I always ask the elders, “What is your hope for the Kalimantan?” Surprisingly, all of them had the same answer: “Whatever is left from the remain forests, please don’t destroy it anymore.”

There are a total of 30 hectares that we need to secure. The target is to raise $ 30,000 USD. Here’s how you can make a tangible impact: Every $25 will save 100 meter-square of the forest. $50 will support the local forest rangers to patrol and monitor for a week. $100 will cover the organisation’s operational expense for a month 🌳 Your Contribution Matters! 🌳

Please DONATE now and help us to purchase and protect Talekoi Forest!

A young Dayak girl, Kalimantan. Photo: Ranu Welum