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:

• to support indigenous responses to climate change from the Global South
• to invest in women-led initiatives
• to empower young people to drive change.

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:

• £20 will provide supplies for a waste collection campaign in an indigenous community
• £25 will train five women in waste pollution management
• £50 will equip five women with skills for water harvesting systems
• £60 will pay for a workshop on solid waste pollution and climate change for 15 women and seven girls
• £100 will fund an empowerment and environmental management workshop for 15 women
• £350 will cover the materials and installation of a water harvesting system for a family with limited water access.

Together, we can support these courageous women as they defend their lands, uplift their communities and inspire a brighter future for all.