Words by Tess Becker
Thanks to the charity of a UK farmer a massive meeting of hundreds of Brazil’s Indigenous people was able to happen. Hylton Murray-Philipson, an Eton-educated landowner from Leicestershire, covered a gap in funding of more than £100,000 so the meeting called by Kayapo chief Raoni Metuktire could happen.
The meeting was tied to the ongoing climate crisis and the instability indigenous people may face.
“We’re in an emergency and we need to act appropriately,” Hylton said. “People with money need to react to the level of concern we have now globally.”
The amount was 10 times more than Hylton had ever donated but he felt compelled to thanks to the knowledge that indigenous people may have to add to the climate conversation.
“The world needs Indigenous people as never before,” he said. “We should be grateful to them. They teach us that the Amazon is not just a store of carbon, it is one of the great rainfall-making machines in the world. Without that, there will be more drought and worse soil. I am a farmer. I know what that means.”
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Women Invested to Save Earth Fund. This organization helps support underrepresented and underfunded Black, indigenous, and women of color-led organizations across the world. Find out more and support them here.
Giraffe Conservation Foundation. They help nonprofits protect and conserve giraffes. Check them out here.
The Life You Can Save. An organization that helps mobilize aid to regions affected by malaria. Find out more.
