Sustaining the Wild Coast (SWC) has worked with the Amadiba residents of the coastal villages of Eastern Mpondoland, South Africa, since 2008, seeking to support their commitment to protecting their land, livelihoods and culture.
The Amadiba are determined to set their own development goals, that are sustainable and earth honouring, rather than be forced to accept imposed projects of mining and highway construction.
The name for SWC in isiMpondo is Mazibuy’emasisweni! A simple translation of this name is ‘let us bring back our heritage!’.
The struggle of the Amadiba people is emblematic of the struggle of indigenous communities worldwide against the life-destroying impacts of imposed, unsustainable, so-called ‘development’ projects that do not respect the needs of local people or the integrity of Earth’s ecosystems.
Indigenous communities living on communally owned land occupy only 20% of the planet and are protecting 80% of the earth’s remaining biodiversity, which is critical to the health of the planet on which we all depend.
