Indigenous-Led Education Global Network

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Indigenous-led Education Network

Increased levels of committed support for ILED programs.

Increase of successful ILED initiatives and programmes.

Increased awareness among governments, donors, and other stakeholders.

Increased sharing and networking on ILED practices and initiatives.

To raise awareness & increase visibility of ILED activities

To catalyse traction and (financial) support.

To network & share knowledge.

Duty Bearers (public institutions, governments policy- and decision-makers).

Indigenous children and youth (and their communities).

Supporters & Allies (media, academia, donors etc.)

Indigenous peoples in tropical forest regions are more resilient. They are leading their own education programmes, ensuring the well-being of future generations through the protection, revitalization and transfer of their languages and knowledge.

Boosting ILED initiatives and programs, thereby boosting Indigenous resilience.

Long-Term Change

After 10 Years

Our Plan

Solution

Key Audiences

Problem

Why a Global Network on Indigenous-Led Education?

Theory of Change

It has become increasingly difficult for Indigenous communities to pass on their knowledge, language and culture.

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Resilient Indigenous Communities are better at...

But such programs are underfunded, remain largely invisible, are considered too small, or generally not prioritized by donors, governments and others.

Indigenous-led education initiatives and programs which are based on communities’ own priorities, ways of learning and empowering youth, are shown to be the most effective way to boost indigenous resilience and self-determination.

As a result, Indigenous communities increasingly become economically and socially dependent on outsiders.

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Mainstream education plays an important role as it is undermining traditional inter-generational knowledge transfer.

The resilience and well-being of Indigenous communities is eroding due to many factors, including loss of language, knowledge and control over territories.

Why a Global Network on Indigenous-Led Education?

The Problem

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Resilient indigenous communities

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Defending their Land Rights

Strong Health Systems

Food Security

Biodiversity Conservation

Community-Based Innovations & Adaptations

Effective Community Governance

Sustainable Territorial & Resource Management

Maintaining Social Togetherness

Preserving their own Culture

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ILED Initiative

Community Knowledge Exchange Hub & Museum by Indigenous Communities of the Nilambur Region.

The project aims to revitalize traditional modes of knowledge transmission and to share sustainable ways of living with other communities in the region.

Keystone foundation

India

Toda family gathering honey.

Communities in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (Kotagiri): Adivasi, Sholanaikans, Todas, Paniyas, Irulas, Kurumbas, Kuruchiyans, Mullukurumbas, Adiyans and Alyars peoples form part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a hotspot of ecological diversity.

The Keystone Foundation aims to enhance the quality of life of Indigenous communities and the environment by using eco-development approaches to share traditions and cultures from across the region.

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The Problem

Impression of the traditionally carved canoe made by the Guna peoples.

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Eco-Cultural Strengthening for Young Gunas at the Level of Science Clubs, in Two schools in the Gunayala Region, Panama.

This initiative focuses on merging indigenous and mainstream education to support the development and recovery of indigenous knowledge on biodiversity and culture.

ILED Initiative

FPCI

Panama

Supported by the Guna General Congress, the highest traditional authority, FCPI have created an intercultural curriculum to teach the Guna language and traditional knowledge of mathematics, natural science and spirituality.

The Guna Peoples of Panama founded the Foundation for the Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge (FPCI) to recover and strengthen Indigenous knowledge of the environment and to promote gender-equitable participation.

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Empowering Indigenous Youth on the Transferring of Mother Tongue and Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Mawakhi Community.

The initiative seeks to develop the skills and knowledge of young leaders of the Nong Mon Tha community of Northern Thailand.

Youth learning from the elders of the community.

ILED Initiative

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IMPECT Association

Thailand

Established in 1991, IMPECT promotes Indigenous capacity-building, youth engagement, sustainable inheritance and transfer of Indigenous know-ledge through programs on Cultural Revival and Alternative Education, the Environment and Indigenous Rights.

The Inter-Mountain Peoples Education and Culture in Thailand Association is a network of Indigenous peoples: Akha, Dara-ang, Hmong, Kachin, Lahu, Lisu, Lua, Karen, Mien and Shan peoples.

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The initiative is dedicated to the revitalization of ancestral knowledge about medicinal plants and actively involves all generations.

ILED Initiative

FECONAU is one of the oldest Indigenous federations in the Peruvian Amazon. It was founded in 1981 following the Indigenous movement of the 70s. It is also a co-founder of the AIDESEP, one of the most important Indigenous rights organizations in Peru.

Revitalization of the Knowledge System of Medicinal Plants

Reunion to celebrate 40 years of defending Indigenous rights (Credits: FECONAU).

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Feconau

Peru

FECONAU (Federación de Comunidades Nativas de Ucayali y Afluentes) represents 30 communities in the Ucayali region: the Shipibo-Konibo, Asháninka, Isconahua and Awajun peoples.

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Ùkö: the word in the Bribri language for a traditionally woven mat.

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Kṍ tchë́l tã Sibö̀ ttékã: in the Fourth Half Sibó Spoke. Because we Believe that We Are in the Moment to Talk about our Bribri Identity. This initiative aims to share the Indigenous Bribri way of life and what it means to be Bribri with young people and to pass on ancestral knowledge.

ILED Initiative

La Lengua bribri

Costa Rica

Alí aims to make the educational system more inclusive to local language and culture. Together with the communities, he records and documents the traditional language and wisdom and creates educational materials for children.

Alí Garcia Segura was born and raised in the indigenous Bribri community near the border between Costa Rica and Panama. He is an ethnologist and professor at the University of Costa Rica.

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Children and youth hold signs for the aquatic animal conservation section of the Mae Tia River in 2008. Credits: IMPECT Association

Focus AreasAccess to Justice Self-determination Legal & Policy Reform Building Solidarity

FPP

United Kingdom & the Netherlands

FPP is a member of the ILED Team which facilitates the work of the ILED Network. Get in touch by sending an email to: caroline@forestpeoples.org

Founded in 1990, with two independent, yet connected organizations in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. FFP is a human rights organization supporting the rights of peoples who live in forests and depend on them for their livelihoods. It aims to create political space for forest peoples to secure their rights, control their lands and decide their own futures.

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Get in touch by sending an email to:

iledsecretariat@rutufoundation.org

Main ProgramsSurinameLanguage Friendly SchoolThe ILED Network Human Rights, Language & Education

Rutu Foundation

The Netherlands

RUTU is a member of the ILED Team which facilitates the work of the ILED Network. Rutu also functions as the ILED Secretariat.

Mission To make linguistic and cultural diversity the norm in education. All children, especially Indigenous children and children from migrant and minority backgrounds, should have every opportunity to learn in and through the languages they and their families use and understand well. They should be educated in a way that allows them to grow and flourish, well-rooted in their own languages and cultures.

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Focus AreasClimate Justice Human Rights & Gender Land & Water Governance Trade & Investments Public Finance for Development

Both Ends

The Netherlands

Both ENDS is a member of the ILED Team which facilitates the work of the ILED Network. Get in touch by sending an email to: f.dragstra@bothends.org pw@bothends.org

Mission Both ENDS strengthens civil society globally to gain critical influence over decisions and activities that affect people's rights and the environment, thus guaranteeing that society fosters and protects ecosystems while ensuring respect for all human rights, including the right to water, food and a safe living environment.

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Adivasi women training Adivasi youth on wild foods during the Forest Food Field School (Voices from the Forest NTFP-EP Magazine)

NTFP-EP

Asia

NTFP-EP works towards forest conservation, the recognition of land rights, income generation through the creation of NTFP entreprises, food and health security, the promotion of Indigenous knowledge etc. Strategies Faciliation of knowledge-sharing, providing technical support and training, providing inputs in strategy discussions, documentation, mobilizing resources, sourcing advocacy support etc.

Focus Areas Community-based Conservation Sustainable Livelihoods Indigenous Food & Health Tenure Rights & Governance Culture & Gender

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NTFP-EP is a collaborative network of NGOs and CBOs working with forest-based communities to strengthen their capacity in the sustainable management of natural resources in the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

The initative is aimed at educating the children of the Sengwer community of Kabolet of the importance of restoring the eroded ecosystem by growing trees. The initiative also boosts the economic resilience of women from the local tree nursery.

Sengwer women speaking about land rights.(Credits: Elias Kimaiyo)

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Growing a Tree for my own Breath & Advising Others to do the Same by the Sengwer Indigenous Children

ILED Initiative

Sengwer Community

Kenya

Increased cultivation over the past two decades has resulted in land degradation and soil erosion. Growing more trees is critical to the conservation of these lands, as is children and youth learning traditional knowledge on beekeeping, and land and natural resource management.

The Sengwer community of the Cherang’any Hills in Elgeyo-Marakwet, Trans Nzoia and West Pokot country (with different CBOs) have been fighting for the recognition of their land rights since the early 1990s.

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This initiative focuses on the production and sharing of culturally appropriate learning materials with Ata elementary schools to engage students with forest-oriented cultural heritage.

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Young girl picking fruits in the Mobile Forest School

“Proud to be Ata”: Production and Sharing of Culturally Appropriate Learning Materials with Ata Elementary Schools.

ILED Initiative

SPNKK

The Philippines

The aim of SPNKK is to speak with a collective voice and work toward the development of a national platform for the advancement of Indigenous rights to land and natural resources and the promotion of cultural integrity.

SPNKK works as an umbrella organization that brings together the Federation of Negrito Tribes, including the Batak, Manide, Agta-Dumagat, Ati and Ata peoples.

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This initiative aims to identify and utilize community platforms to share indigenous knowledge with young people, and encourage conservation efforts within the community.

Using indigenous knowledge in intergenerational Biodiversity Education

ILED Initiative

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Youth of Kibasi in Hakibaale, Kabarole District (mount Rwenzori region) during an environmental field tour.

Founded in 2011, FED works with the Indigenous Batooro, Banyabindi, Batwa and Bunyoro communities. FED aims to bridge the gap between formal environment education and rich indigenous knowledge held by elders to include young people in conservation efforts.

FED

Uganda

FED works towards ecological sustainability, social justice and healthy living through amplifying community voices and rights, influencing policy and decision making, improving people’s livelihoods, building capacity of community participants to live in a healthy and just environment.

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Impression of the Indigenous-led education projects of Allianza Ceibo.

Alliance by the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon in Ecuador: the A’ikofan, Siekopai, Siona and Waorani peoples.

Allianza Ceibo

Ecuador

Focus Areas Land Rights & Mapping Storytelling Water Systems & Clean Water Protection of the Environment Solar Energy Transmission of Indigenous Knowledge & Practices Indigenous Women

In 2011, the collaboration started to provide safe access to clean water for all families affected by oil pollution in the region. As a result of this experience, we realized that there are more needs and much more work to do. Now, together with the communities, we create different programs to help our nationalities in the defense of the territory, cultural survival and the construction of viable alternative solutions that improve the quality of life in the communities.

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