Empowering Women & Youth to Defend Land, Nature, and Community Rights in Tanzania

LandGuard Alliance is building a just, climate-resilient future—led by youth, shaped by women, and grounded in local wisdom.

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The Problem

Malinyi District, home to over 410,000 people and adjacent to the critical Nyerere National Park buffer zones in Tanzania, is facing a convergence of escalating challenges:

Climate Shocks

Severe droughts and floods devastate this predominantly agriculture-based region, where over 80% of livelihoods depend on the land.

Land Tenure Insecurity

Most families lack formal land titles, leading to frequent land disputes and vulnerability to land grabs, undermining stability.

Marginalization

Youth and women, the majority of the labor force, are excluded from land-related decisions and rights, despite their crucial roles.

Environmental Risks

Unclear land ownership fosters unsustainable land use and degradation near protected ecosystems, threatening nature and people.

These intersecting challenges leave communities, especially young people and women, without the tools, rights, or support to defend their land or future.

Our Solution

LandGuard Alliance directly supports 2,100 youth and women in Malinyi by equipping them with the skills and tools to claim land rights, protect nature, and lead community advocacy.

Key Components:

Train 210 "Community Land Defenders" (CLDs) — At least 60% youth and 50% women — in Tanzanian land law, environmental regulations, participatory mapping, and grassroots advocacy.
Peer-to-Peer Outreach — CLDs cascade knowledge to 1,890 additional community members through 40+ awareness sessions and co-creation of 12+ village land use maps.
Community-Led Change — Creation of five or more action plans presented to local authorities to address land conflict, tenure security, and sustainable land use.

Positive Impact:

Increased land tenure security for hundreds of families.
Documented reduction in land disputes.
Youth and women empowered as land rights leaders.
Environmental conservation integrated with legal frameworks.

Mitigating Negative Impacts:

Conflict sensitivity and safety protocols for CLDs.
Inclusive and transparent mapping validated by the entire community.
Legal partnerships to protect CLDs and resolve disputes.

Youth in Leadership

This initiative is youth-founded, youth-led, and youth-driven. Young people aged 18–35 play central roles as:

Core Community Land Defenders
Workshop Facilitators & Peer Educators
Lead Mappers & Advocacy Champions

These youth leaders are actively transforming their communities—not just participating in but designing and delivering sustainable solutions. Their leadership offers a globally relevant model for engaging young people in climate justice and environmental protection.

Diversity & Inclusion

LandGuard Alliance is deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and accessibility:

Equity Targets: At least 50% women and 60% youth among direct beneficiaries.
Cultural Representation: Inclusive of Luguru, Ndamba, Pogoro, Sukuma and other ethnic groups.
Literacy & Accessibility: Use of Kiswahili, visual tools, and participatory methods ensures everyone can engage, regardless of education level.
Marginalized Voices: Prioritized outreach ensures inclusion across gender, age, ethnicity, and livelihoods.
Intergenerational Knowledge: Elders’ traditional ecological knowledge is honored and integrated.

This approach ensures decisions reflect the full community and protects the rights of the most vulnerable.

Our Partners

Project Gallery

Visual highlights of our work and impact in the communities we serve, showcasing the dedication of our Land Defenders and the positive changes we're fostering together.

Join Us

LandGuard Alliance is building a just, climate-resilient future—led by youth, shaped by women, and grounded in local wisdom. We welcome collaborations, partnerships, and supporters who share our commitment to land rights, environmental protection, and social equity.

Together, we defend what matters.

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