Campaign against oil palm plantations

Keerom is located in the northeast of Papua, close to the border with Papua New Guinea. This region was once rich in sago trees and pristine forest. Now, large areas have been transformed into oil palm plantations.

Since the 1980s, Keerom has been overrun by companies that are taking over more and more land for the extraction of raw materials. With their arrival, the number of foreigners there is also increasing. Only about 30% of the current residents are still originally from Keerom. As in many places in Papua, the establishment of oilpalmplantations leads to large-scale human rights violations. Land is unlawfully seized, people are displaced, soil becomes depleted, and indigenous crops no longer grow there.

This project focuses on the people living around the plantations. Many of them own small plots of land on which they grow vegetables and fruit. They earn an income by selling part of the harvest at the market. Our partner Kalawai provides education to these people. With financial support from HAPIN – Papua Support Foundation, Kalawai will soon launch an awareness campaign with two clear activities:

1. Film screenings and information

People will be informed about land grabbing (illegally taking over land) and the consequences of resource extraction in their area. They will learn what rights they have and what legal steps they can take to defend themselves. This will enable them to make informed choices regarding their land in the future.

2. Financial training for women

Financial training is being organized specifically for women who sell homegrown vegetables and fruit at the market. The goal? When these families have more financial security, they are less likely to sell their land for a quick profit.

In short:

• A reduced risk of land and the living environment being lost to polluting activities.
• Women and families become financially stronger and more resilient.

Will you help? €2,000 is needed to carry out these activities. You can donate by scanning the QR code with your smartphone, by bank transfer to NL66 TRIO 0321 0888 32 with the reference ‘Keerom’, or by making a donation via the website.