United for Land Rights in East Africa

General

Ujamaa-Community Resource Team (UCRT). Reference: V-1730-XG-IF-54 The project aims to give voice to highly marginalised indigenous communities so that they can become one united voice, campaigning for their land rights at the regional and international level. This initiative is the result of joint efforts of six community-rooted partners in four East African Countries: Tanzania, Kenya, Rwandaand Uganda. Land rights and access to resources continue to be a major issue for Ogiek, Batwa, Maasai and Benetindigenous communities. They suffer from lack of or limited access to resources and social services due to persisting forceful eviction from ancestral land and forests in the name of creating national parks or game reserves and other touristic facilities.Not only were these lands their ancestral homes, but also valuable resources for their livelihood and cultural traditions. Through this project affected marginalised indigenous communities lead their own paths to claim justice as one united voice at community level and up. Together they strengthen their capacities, learn from one another and become the actors of change at different levels. The outcomes of this project are: a strong local/inter-community capacity building, mobilisation efforts, synergistic regional and international action effectively challenging current human and land rights abuses.