Dear friends and supporters,

I'm embarking on an epic journey to climb Mount Kilimanjaro at the end of August. Beyond the physical challenge, this climb holds a greater purpose: I am raising funds for a remarkable initiative, Roots2Justice.

What is Roots2Justice?

Roots2Justice is a legal empowerment initiative partnering with grassroots activists and organizations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The initiative accelerates the transfer of legal knowledge, tools, and best practices to strengthen the power of activists to secure human rights, environmental protections, and redress for environmental damage.

Note: The sister organization Lawyers Against Poverty acts as Roots2Justice's charity conduit. Please add "R2J" to your donation. Thank you!

Why is this cause important to me?

I spent a significant part of my childhood in Nigeria, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These experiences connected me deeply with the richness and diversity of Africa's landscapes and cultures. When I was 10 years old, I had the privilege of traveling to Tanzania and seeing Mount Kilimanjaro for the first time. It was then I knew I wanted to summit it at some point in my life.

Tanzania, therefore, holds a special place in my heart. However, it faces critical environmental challenges, including one of the highest deforestation rates globally. Indigenous groups in Tanzania, like the Maasai, also face an uphill battle to secure their land rights and have been subject to forced evictions and land grabbing by government-backed investors.

These issues, not only faced by communities in Tanzania but across contexts globally, deeply resonate with me. I want to use my Kilimanjaro climb as an opportunity to create awareness and raise funds for an initiative that directly empowers people and communities impacted by these challenges, both in Tanzania and beyond.

Where will your donations go?

Any support you give will specifically back the development of the Best Practice Forum—an online platform uniting legal specialists and activists. You can think of the Forum as an interactive legal incubator, offering the space to accelerate the sharing of knowledge, best practices, tools, and strategies across jurisdictions, using a range of practical materials easily accessible to grassroots activists in their everyday work.

Why does your support matter?

Your support matters because grassroots activists and organizations are the backbone of the solution in the fight for social and environmental justice. They courageously challenge injustices in high-risk environments, armed with their deep understanding of the communities they represent and the challenges they face.

However, many of these passionate individuals are chronically under-resourced and lack access to legal networks, hindering their capacity to drive impactful changes in law and implementation.

By supporting Roots2Justice and the Best Practice Forum, these activists can access vital legal expertise, innovative strategies, and peer-to-peer learning. Your contributions empower them to protect human rights and combat environmental destruction effectively.

Together, we can equip grassroots activists with the tools they need to create lasting change and ensure a more just and sustainable world for all. Let's climb new heights for justice and create a brighter future for future generations.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me!

Felix

Note: The sister organization Lawyers Against Poverty acts as Roots2Justice's charity conduit. Please add "R2J" to your donation. Thank you!

Photographic materials by Manu Valcarce