All Equator Prize Winners
years of advancing nature-based solutions for local sustainable development.
All Equator Prize Winners
years of advancing nature-based solutions for local sustainable development.
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Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA TANZANIA) is a youth-led non-profit founded in 2020, working to restore Tanzania’s marine ecosystems and empower coastal communities. Covering 5,000 hectares and engaging 695 people, SOA TANZANIA leads innovative, community-driven conservation projects like the UN Ocean Decade-endorsed Grass Underwater Project, restoring over 100 hectares of seagrass meadows, and planting 20,000 mangroves across 5,000 hectares in Bagamoyo. Through its Ocean Bootcamp, SOA TANZANIA has trained over 130 young leaders in marine conservation and climate resilience. The Bahari Venture trains women and youth in sustainable seaweed farming, promoting livelihoods and ocean health. Prioritizing gender equality and youth leadership, SOA TANZANIA combines ecosystem restoration with sustainable development, driving impactful, scalable nature-based solutions that contribute to climate action, biodiversity conservation, and resilient coastal communities.
Nature and People as One (NaPO) is a women- and youth-led Indigenous organization in northern Kenya empowering pastoralist communities to restore and steward their dryland ecosystems. Through its flagship Ramat Model, NaPO combines traditional ecological knowledge with low-cost restoration techniques to regenerate degraded lands, particularly in the Mt. Marsabit ecosystem. Over 550 hectares have been directly restored and 10,000+ hectares sustainably managed under community governance. NaPO trains Ramat Champions—local elders, women, and youth—to lead restoration efforts, enforce bylaws, and build community resilience to climate change. Their Herder Conservation Network uses GPS tools to monitor biodiversity, while the NaPO Conservation Cup engages youth through sports and ecosystem restoration. NaPO’s locally rooted governance, strong intergenerational collaboration, and inclusive participation make it a model for scalable, community-driven climate action.
Founded in 2018 in Teertha, Karnataka, India, the Bibi Fatima Self Help Group (SHG) is a women-led grassroots initiative transforming rural livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, women’s empowerment, and climate resilience. Starting as a savings group of 15 women, it now supports over 5,000 farmers across 30 villages, promoting millet-based multi-cropping, solar-powered processing units, and seed banks conserving 250+ indigenous varieties. These efforts restore biodiversity, boost food security, and create jobs for marginalized women and youth. By integrating traditional knowledge with regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and market access, the SHG addresses environmental and socio-economic challenges. Its decentralized, scalable model, replicated across Indian states, empowers women as agripreneurs and strengthens dryland farming systems. Partnering with groups like SELCO and Devadanya FPC, Bibi Fatima SHG exemplifies how nature-based, community-driven solutions can advance climate action and equity from the ground up.
Founded in 2016 in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, the Ranu Welum Foundation is a women- and youth-led Indigenous organization empowering Dayak communities through a blend of traditional knowledge and modern technology. Its work spans forest conservation, disaster resilience, cultural preservation, and youth empowerment, operating through four departments: Academy, Community, Conservation, and Media. Signature programmes like Youth Act Kalimantan and the Kalimantan International Indigenous Film Festival have mobilized over 1,000 youth, protected nearly 3,000 hectares of forest, and reached 500,000 people annually. The foundation has pioneered Indonesia's first haze shelter, restored peatlands, conserved biodiversity, and trained women firefighters, while its storytelling and conservation models have influenced policy and inspired replication across scales. Grounded in community ownership and inclusive governance, Ranu Welum is a leading force for Indigenous-led sustainable development in Kalimantan and beyond.
Mitra BUMMA is a women-led Indigenous initiative in Tanah Papua that works with Indigenous Peoples (groups) to create community-run enterprises (BUMMAs) that protect 100,000 hectares of rainforest while supporting local economies and tribal governance. Providing governance support, technical services, and capital, Mitra BUMMA helps communities manage non-timber products, ecotourism, agroforestry, and carbon projects rooted in traditional ecological knowledge. The initiative has empowered 3,000+ people, increased incomes, protected endangered species habitats, and ensured gender-inclusive leadership, with 40% of staff and 30% of leaders being women. Its replicable model blends customary law with modern systems, positioning Indigenous Peoples as climate finance leaders and stewards of nature-based, equitable solutions to the global climate crisis.
Sea Women of Melanesia Inc. (SWoM) is an Indigenous women-led organization in Papua New Guinea that empowers local women to lead marine conservation by blending traditional knowledge with modern science and technology. Since 2018, SWoM has trained over 50 Indigenous women in reef monitoring, marine science, and leadership, enabling them to manage Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) across 1,500 hectares of biodiverse coral reef habitat. Their efforts have restored ecosystems, formalized marine reserves, and involved more than 3,000 community members. By placing women at the forefront of conservation, conducting reef surveys, steering boats, and advocating for policy, SWoM is transforming gender norms, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing sustainable fisheries in over 15 villages. Recognized by the UN and Whitley Awards, SWoM is redefining global standards for inclusive, community-driven marine protection.
The Cooperativa de Mujeres Artesanas del Gran Chaco (COMAR) is a women-led cooperative that empowers over 2,600 Indigenous women from the Gran Chaco ecoregion in northern Argentina. Through its brand Matriarca, they transform traditional handicrafts into sustainable, high-value products for national and global markets. Founded in 2011, it organizes and commercializes the craft value chain using nature-based solutions that protect biodiversity, promote climate resilience, and foster inclusive, community-driven governance.
The Andenes de Cuyocuyo Agrobiodiversity Zone (ZABDAC) is Peru’s first officially recognized agrobiodiversity zone, a groundbreaking achievement led by six Quechua communities: Puna Ayllu, Ura Ayllu, Cojene Rotojoni, Puna Laqueque, Huancasayani Cumani, and Ñacoreque, located in the Puna region. This territory, home to over 3,000 people, includes the largest and most intricate system of ancient agricultural terraces in the southern Andes, stretching from 1,500 to 4,500 meters above sea level. Spanning more than 6,555 hectares, the zone protects a mosaic of highland ecosystems and conserves an extraordinary 1,281 native crop varieties. Through collective stewardship, these communities uphold sustainable farming practices, safeguard biodiversity, and ensure the intergenerational transmission of ancestral knowledge that has sustained the Andean landscape for centuries.
Fundación Hakhu Amazonía is a youth- and women-led Indigenous organization at the forefront of defending the Amazon and the rights of its peoples from mining and other extractive threats. Founded in 2018, Hakhu supports Kichwa communities through political advocacy, decolonial education, grassroots media, and the Yuturi Warmi, an Indigenous women’s territorial guard that protects land and life. Through its social enterprise, Hakhu Amazon Design, the foundation also supports the economic autonomy of Kichwa women, promoting sustainable livelihoods rooted in cultural expression. With a focus on gender equity, climate justice, and Indigenous self-determination, Fundación Hakhu Amazonía stands as a powerful force for environmental protection, cultural resilience, and inclusive development across the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Founded in 2022, the Associação Uasei dos Povos Indígenas de Oiapoque unites four Indigenous Peoples in Amapá, Brazil, to build a pioneering bioeconomy model rooted in sustainability, cultural preservation, and economic autonomy. Uasei disrupts exploitative middlemen in the açaí trade by creating an Indigenous-controlled value chain. Blending traditional ecological knowledge with modern techniques, they sustainably manage native açaí groves, protecting biodiversity while ensuring livelihoods. Uasei established Amapá’s first agroindustry on Indigenous land, producing pulp, lyophilized powder, and soon ice cream, capturing greater market value. Their Empório Uasei storefront promotes artisanal crafts and açaí products, boosting cultural visibility and tourism. Operating with democratic governance and strong participation from women and youth, Uasei exemplifies how an Indigenous-led bioeconomy can generate income, protect ecosystems, and strengthen cultural identity.
The La Planada Nature Reserve, located within the Awá Pialapí Pueblo Viejo Indigenous Reserve, has an impressive 3,200 hectares. Since 2010, this valuable ecosystem has been under the close custody of the Indigenous Council, which oversees its management and conservation in 10 communities. These communities, made up of 490 families and with a population of 1,900 people, are united in their mission: to safeguard the ancestral lands of the Awá people through judicious management of resources and the conservation of their rich cultural heritage. In an innovative way, the Reserve has adopted the concept of scientific tourism, encouraging the exchange of knowledge between researchers, tourists, students and the indigenous community. This has enriched the local economy and improved land management, but it also serves as a bastion for biodiversity conservation and safeguarding the cultural legacy for generations to come.
FEMNCAFÉ, comprised of 28 coffee associations, focuses on the economic, social, and community reintegration of the signatories of the 2016 Peace Agreement in Colombia and local communities. They have developed a new coffee model emphasizing environmental and social justice to achieve this. Its objectives include reducing inequality among coffee farmers, democratizing technical knowledge, and fostering climate-resilient agriculture through model changes and conservation efforts. In 2022, FEMNCAFÉ began the construction of its environmental sustainability strategy, focused on community reintegration, linking coffee-growing families to strengthen environmental governance in their territories. Through these efforts, they aim to address agrarian inequality, boost rural economies, and combat climate change, gaining international recognition for their sustainable coffee production.
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta—the world's highest coastal mountain range in the tropics and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve—the Arhuacos, along with three other Indigenous Peoples, have protected their sacred lands for decades. In 2015, they established ASOARHUACO, an association of Arhuaco agroforestry producers, to enhance their livelihoods and preserve their ancestral territory. ASOARHUACO focuses on sustainable agroforestry, cultivating organic coffee, cocoa, and sugarcane, and has successfully tapped into European markets. Additionally, a women’s group within ASOARHUACO, comprising 120 Arhuaco women, crafts traditional backpacks as a means of livelihood. Demonstrating its commitment to environmental and social equilibrium, ASOARHUACO has partnered with Sacred Forests on a new initiative employing a payment-for-ecosystem-services model. This project aims to restore and reforest lands invaded by outsiders, conserving sacred sites for the Arhuacos. By the end of 2023, the initiative had acquired 14 properties totaling 1,732 hectares. Throughout its endeavors, ASOARHUACO reflects the collective efforts of the community, including the active participation of their spiritual leaders, the Mamos.
Established in 2007 and formalized as a non-profit in 2010, UNIVAJA represents Brazil’s second-largest Indigenous territory, the 8.5-million-hectare Javari Valley. The organization advocates for constitutional rights, preserves traditional knowledge, and safeguards the territory, which is home to up to 16 Indigenous Peoples, including those living in voluntary isolation. UNIVAJA addresses challenges such as health, education, self-reliance, and the regulation of extractive activities through governmental accountability and strategic partnerships. Its flagship initiative, the Javari Valley Ethno-Environmental Protection Project (PPEVJ), fosters a strong Indigenous movement and bolsters state protection efforts. UNIVAJA employs innovative approaches like digital technology for tracking incursions, national and international advocacy, and transparent financial management. Despite confronting organized crime and resource pressures, UNIVAJA remains committed to preserving the Javari Valley’s unique ecosystems and cultures, playing a crucial role in protecting the Amazon’s integrity and Indigenous rights.
CAIANAS, an Indigenous association from Cachoeirinha Indigenous Land in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, was formed in 2015 as the “GATI Family” collective. It focuses on enhancing quality of life and environmental protection in the Cerrado and Pantanal regions. Through a Deliberative Council, CAIANAS empowers Indigenous families and their territories with cultural and ethno-agroecological practices. They tackle challenges like hybrid seeds and soil infertility by recovering traditional seeds, implementing agroforestry, and restoring degraded areas. CAIANAS also revives ancestral land practices and shamanic knowledge while partnering with universities and governmental bodies to offer agroecology training, contributing to environmental conservation and sustainability for both Indigenous and non-indigenous communities.
The Réserve Naturelle Communautaire de Dindéfélo (Dindéfélo Community Nature Reserve or RNCD), established by 12 local villages, seeks to safeguard their distinctive natural surroundings while securing their ongoing presence in the region. Differing from the government's forest reserve designation, the community proposed a Community Nature Reserve, delineating zones for human habitation, agriculture, and wildlife. Through community engagement and education, the initiative has effectively preserved biodiversity, protected chimpanzees, conducted reforestation, and mitigated bushfires. Ongoing endeavors encompass market gardens and water quality preservation, illustrating the community's dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The RNCD stands as a beacon of community-driven conservation, demonstrating the transformative potential of local empowerment in safeguarding natural habitats for future generations.
The Moroccan Biodiversity and Livelihoods Association (MBLA) was founded in 2014 to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains while promoting sustainable livelihoods for rural communities. Central to their mission is the preservation and revitalization of local seed systems, which are crucial for agricultural resilience in the face of climate change. Through initiatives like Community Seed Banks (CSBs), they conserve over 500 seed varieties, supporting biodiversity, food security, and climate adaptation. MBLA’s innovative approach integrates scientific research with community-driven conservation practices, fostering resilience and empowering marginalized groups, particularly women and youth, across the region.
The Indigenous Livelihoods Enhancement Partners (ILEPA) are united in a community-based, non-profit organization in Kenya, focusing on the Maasai pastoral community in Narok County. Established in 2008, ILEPA initially addressed land rights issues but has expanded to encompass environment, health, development, and livelihood support. Through innovative programs like tree nurseries, beekeeping initiatives, and hay production, ILEPA integrates Indigenous knowledge to foster sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience. Emphasizing women and youth empowerment, the organization ensures inclusivity in decision-making and sustainability practices, exemplifying a transformative approach to Indigenous rights and environmental stewardship.