In the heart of Melawi, rivers once ran clear and forests stretched unbroken. Villages here live on the edge of these ecosystems, relying on them for food, water, and survival. But today, those same rivers carry mercury from illegal gold mining, and forests are giving way to expanding palm oil estates. In this part of Kalimantan, communities face a difficult balance: securing livelihoods without losing the land and water that sustain them.
Read MoreOn the first morning in our new partner village of Ganjang, we were waiting for the women from the community to arrive for our initial focus group discussion. Heavy rain pounded the tin roof of the church we were using as a gathering space. We worried no one would come. But then, one by one, women began to arrive, soaked, shy, but determined. Before long, 60 women had filled the benches, sketching out their hopes for the future and raising concerns about polluted rivers, gold mining, and their children’s futures.
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