KESAN is glad to share our Impact Report for 2024, giving an overview of our projects from the perspective of the lasting positive changes in the lives of Indigenous people and local communities we serve. Our program teams collaboratively reviewed how each intervention advances KESAN’s mission to empower the Karen people, who have to endure numerous challenges. Using storytelling and evidence-based narrative, we contemplated how projects helped to strengthen natural resource governance, protect wildlife and biodiversity, revitalise Indigenous Conserved Territories and their culture, promote food sovereignty, champion community voices, and foster people’s resilience in 2024.
In 2024, communities declared the establishment of Thawthi Taw-Oo Indigenous Park—the second Karen Indigenous Conserved Territory—bordering the Salween Peace Park. Forest restoration efforts tripled in impact, and surplus rice in community rice banks also tripled since 2020, strengthening food security for 12,417 villagers. Over 91,305 acres of Kaw customary land were demarcated, while 5,286 family plots were mapped, securing territorial rights for 2,115 women and 3,171 men. Communities constructed or restored 9 km of roads, and 1,387 watershed-dependent residents gained access to dedicated conservation areas, including nine fish conservation zones.
Leadership blossomed as 120 students, youth, and educators from 13 schools engaged with forest governance, and 51 youth leaders completed a three-month leadership program. Seven community patrols safeguarded wildlife sanctuaries, the women’s research group expanded ethnobotanical and fish research, and with support from Mutraw KFD and KESAN, communities secured the P’Ngwe Pwa Community-Based Wildlife Protected Area. These achievements, alongside networking, awareness-raising, youth exchanges, capacity building, and advocacy, strengthened the foundations for protecting Indigenous lands, cultures, livelihoods, and climate change resilience for generations to come.
Please read the report for details:
