January - March 2024 Update
Thriving Futures.
Thriving Planet.
Welcome to our first quarterly report of 2024. Inside you’ll find updates on what Thriving Futures look like in action. Thank you for your partnership as we support Indigenous and local communities to build healthy communities and landscapes by activating the power of legacy.
Our Model
Legado Is:
A women-led, global nonprofit that works alongside Indigenous and local communities in places important for biodiversity. We support communities as they design and implement solutions of their choosing that benefit both their communities and landscapes—an outcome we call Thriving Futures.
Where We Work:
The Legado Approach
What We Do:
We Activate Legacy
We work alongside Indigenous partners and local communities to activate legacy. A legacy is a vision people set for themselves and their landscapes that builds on a community's already existing strengths.
How We Do It:
360° Community-Led Change
Working alongside communities, we take a 360° view of priorities by considering how all aspects of well-being intersect. We foster 360° inclusivity, centering traditionally underrepresented voices—particularly women and youth.
The Outcome:
Thriving Futures
A Thriving Future Timeline
3-6 Months
Stage 1:
6-12 Months
Stage 2:
1-5 Years
Stage 3:
Mucunha, Mozambique
Nkishon Supat E Ngilai, Kenya
Our
Partnerships
Ngilai Community Conservancy
The Megantoni National Sanctuary, National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP)
The Machiguenga Communal Reserve, National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP)
ECA Maeni
Namuli Wiwanana
Northern Rangelands Trust
The Spotlight
Board member Dr. Alaka Wali shares why centering women is crucial for advancing climate justice
Centering women is a core tenant of Legado’s 360° Community-Led Change approach—and a critical part of advancing climate justice in places important for biodiversity, 80% of which are stewarded by Indigenous and local communities. In this Q&A, Legado Board Member, anthropologist, and Curator Emerita at Chicago’s Field Museum Dr. Alaka Wali shares why centering women is absolutely crucial to Legado’s approach.
Mparkenoi Lenkurikuri in the community garden outside the Lolkunyiani Maternity Shelter in Ngilai, Kenya | Legado
Quarterly Updates
Community partnership formed in Peru
In Q1, our all-woman team worked in tandem with multiple partners to finalize our plan to begin supporting legacies in Saniriato, a rural community with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents. Located in the district of Echarati, it is part of the Megantoni National Santuary’s buffer zone. In March, the leadership teams from the Megantoni National Sanctuary, Machiguenga Communal Reserve (part of SERNANP, the National Protected Areas Service of Peru), and the ECA Maeni (co-management body of the Machiguenga Communal Reserve), agencies that help steward Peru’s Natural Protected Areas and a key partners in the Andes-Amazon, finalized the collaborative work plan to guide the multi-sectoral team’s partnership as it supports the Thriving Futures process in Saniriato and others to come.
Supporting communal health in Mucunha
“I'm a leader because the community makes me a leader; when I give orientation, the community accepts it and follows. My main orientation has been for people in the community to plant fruit trees and spare trees in their houses, because I want people to have their houses protected from the wind, for people to improve their diet by eating fruit, and for them to use fruit to make a profit and improve their family's livelihood.”
Building community support and spirit in Murrabué
From the Murrabué Community Anthem
(translated from Lomwe):
In the Murrabué community, the union of Namuli gives us great joy. You can see it in our smiles.
We must protect our rivers in Namuli—the Malema, the Licungo and all our rivers.
We must protect the birds and animals we name for our children's children to see and know.
We ask God to give us grace and to preserve a future for us, a future, a better future.
Laying the groundwork to support stronger livelihoods on Mount Namuli
Bringing community voices into conservancy management in Ngilai
“It is possible to have a meeting whereby we can have men, women and morans (young men) participate in one way or another. We all get to share in these meetings with Legado, and this shows that our five year plan was inclusive of everyone. This is a plan that starts from a point of strength, which are the things that we have as a community. … If we can keep on with this momentum from the meetings, then we will go far and achieve all our 5 year priorities together.”
Advancing community-identified priorities in Northern Kenya
- Community Health: Community members led and ensured the maintenance of the Ngilai Dispensary and Lolkuniyani maternity shelter, where a number of healthy babies have been delivered this quarter. After delivery, new moms also received “Mama packs” to support healthy infants.
- Clearing invasive species and restoring degraded land: This cross-cutting priority was defined by community members in their five-year Conservancy Legacy Management Plan. This quarter, Ngilai Wildlife Community Conservancy used their carbon funds to restore degraded land and clear invasive species in Nchok Rehabilitation site, which was fenced using Samburu County Funds.
“Legado has been with us since the start of Ngilai as a community conservancy. It has been keen on elevating women's voices by making sure we're included in training and meetings and that our voices are heard. They even went ahead to participate in an all-women training on rangelands and governance using their interactive training, which we loved. I can say that women were fully engaged in choosing their priorities, personally being there from start to finish in all steps. I can say that what has been read here is what we choose as a community."
Mayanae Lemojong, Conservancy Vice-Chair, sharing after an all conservancy members meeting held in January 2024 with over 500 community members in attendance |Roshni Lodhia/Legado
Networking
Updates
In January, Founder and CEO Majka Burhardt and Chief Partnerships and Programs Officer Tita Alvira gave a presentation to the Network of Engaged International Donors as part of the 2024 Women & Climate Change Solutions Giving Circle. They shared how Legado’s approach centers women in the pursuit of climate justice.
A team from Busura visited Legado's Ngilai partnership in Northern Kenya in January to see the activities at the Lolkuniyani Maternal Shelter and to learn more about Legacy Planning.
In February, Ana Lemos, our Deputy Director of Programs, participated in a panel at the University of Florida to share with faculty and students Legado’s approach to biocultural conservation—one that’s holistic, community-led, and grounded in local partnership.
Legado’s Senior Program Manager Filipa Oitavén was featured in an article by Mongabay about the possibility of a new ecoregion in Southern Africa that would include Mount Namuli. Mount Namuli is where Legado started—and the place that taught us the importance of supporting holistic, Indigenous-led solutions for biodiversity loss.
New
Staff
Get
Involved
Join us for a Legacy Expedition
Join in our Town Hall on May 8!
Our virtual Spring Town Hall is happening May 8 at 9 a.m. PST // noon EST // 6 p.m. CAT. This Town Hall we’ll zero in on the question: Does centering women’s voices really make a difference when it comes to pursuing climate justice? The answer for us is a resounding yes!
Our global team would love for you to join us for this interactive, hour-long event. RSVP below so we know to send you a link.
Learn
More
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Want to go deeper into Legado’s work? Know a funder or potential partner who might be interested? Feel free to contact Founder and CEO Majka Burhardt at 970-290-7822 or majka@legadoinitiative.org.