From the forests of Nyekweri…

…To the rangelands of Northern Kenya…

…Indigenous and local peoples are
stewarding biodiverse landscapes…

… building thriving communities…

…And passing on their legacies to new generations.

Yet deforestation and habitat loss threaten local livelihoods and ways of life across both landscapes—a pattern taking place in diverse ecosystems around the globe.

What happens when local approaches and ways of life are ignored?

A Legado Thriving Futures Story

Photography and Video by Roshni Lodhia

Conventional conservation and development approaches try to solve an individual challenge—whether environmental degradation, culture loss, lack of access to health care, and more—on its own, using knowledge and resources from outside a community. The result is that progress is rarely sustainable long-term.

At Legado, we work alongside Indigenous and local communities so they can lead change—in ways that upend conventional approaches that ignore local voices and silo challenges and solutions.

We call it
360° Community-Led Change

360° Community-Led means…

Taking a 360° view of priorities, looking at community development the same way individuals and households approach their overall well-being: by considering how all aspects of thriving intersect—from human health to environment and education, livelihoods, culture, and governance.
Fostering 360° inclusivity by involving people from across the community, particularly women, elders, and youth.

“Indigenous and local ways of being have not been included in development and conservation, but the truth is, local people already know what they need to thrive. People recognize that all aspects of their lives and well-being are intertwined—and that for their communities to thrive, the environment has to thrive too. What’s missing are the spaces for people to articulate that vision and make it come to be. That’s where Legado comes in.”

— Dr. Tita Alvira, Interdisciplinary Ecologist and Legado’s Senior Liaison Officer

In Nyekweri, this means women gathering to share their views on the best way to steward lands to manage shared resources and advance local livelihoods.

And it means strengthening community spaces used for the sharing of traditional knowledge and environmental education in schools.

Thriving Futures in Nyekweri are being created in partnership with the Pangolin Project.

In Ngilai, Kenya, it means pairing traditional Samburu maternity care with improved access to emergency medicine.

And it means reseeding critical rangelands in traditional ways—all while increasing the number of women involved in leadership and decision making.

Thriving Futures in Ngilai are being created in partnership with the Ngilai Wildlife Community Conservancy.

Together, Indigenous and local people are working to protect the past, present, and future of their communities—and communities around the world.

When local people lead change based on their priorities, the result is sustainable change led by the knowledge, insights, and wisdom already found in Indigenous and local communities.

The result is Thriving Futures.

Thriving Futures.
Thriving Planet.