Meli

Meli Bees Network gUG is an independent organisation that engages & empowers indigenous peoples and local communities in vulnerable areas lead regeneration in a bottom-up movement for climate justice.

We engage +50 communities, connect them amongst peers and partners & fund community-led projects.

What we do

At Meli, we are driven by a profound commitment to empower indigenous and local communities at the forefront of environmental regeneration. We actively empower them through network building, support for community-led projects, and amplifying community voices. We champion grassroots climate justice, connecting and engaging communities worldwide through the programs:

Impact Networks:

– Meli Network, Connect and Empower communities leading Impact
– Webs of the Earth, A Network Strengthening the Roots of Biodiversity
– Bees and Communities, Strengthen Stingless Beekeeping around the world

Community-Led Projects:

– Pollinating Regeneration, Enable Community-Led Regenerative Projects

Contra-Colonial Communication:

– Bridging Worldviews, Amplifying Communities’ Voices for Global Impact

Why stingless bees?

We are inspired by Meliponini bees, the native pollinators because:

They are local biodiversity
Are connected with indigenous wisdom
They secure their livelihood…
…While doing crucial ecosystem services!

Just like the bees, we support activities with positive impact on local biodiversity for land and people to flourish.

Our Projects

We support projects that are led by the communities, support the local biodiversity and have positive impact for land and people. Check some of them:

Pollinating Regeneration

Potentialise projects that are develop in deep partnership with the communities, since its idea.

Community Network: Barreirinha village

Establish community networks to elevate regenerative projects in the Barreirinha indigenous village.

Project Food for Good Living

Community kitchen to strengthen the Pataxó Hã-hã-hãe community and its regenerative agriculture.

Mapeo Arariboia

Training indigenous leaders from the Arariboia territory on the use of Mapeo as a tool for land management and protection.

Ma'eputyr Project

Regeneration at Arariboia indigenous territory: seedlings with local seeds, native beekeeping and community network.

Agroecology Workshop

Yearly hands-on workshop on regenerative agriculture engaging multiple communities of the network.

Bees and Culture at Mãe Maria

Reporting Bees and Culture: Native Beekeeping and Cultural activities at Mãe Maria Indigenous territory, Tokurykti village.

Storytelling Projects

Meli developed multiple Storytelling (or rather "Storylistening" workshops and saw the Regenerative Power of Stories.

Care of native bees to build the Arc of Regeneration!

We partnered with IALA Amazônico to care for the native bees and support activities to build the Arc of Regeneration!

The Women Who Pollinate the Forest - Quilombo Bracinho do Icatu

The start of our campaign: The Women Who Pollinate the Forest happened at the Quilombo Bracinho do Icatu!

Meli's First Project - Mejkangati, Beekeeping with Kayapó Mojkarakô indigenous village

Meli's first project was developed with the help of a crowdfunding to hold beekeeping workshops with the Môjkarakô indigenous village.

You can also get involved and support us to develop such projects!

Communities

We engage communities in the following biomes:

Amazon
Cerrado

Mata Atlântica
Caatinga

Pantanal
Transition zone Amazon/Cerrado

[Updates coming soon]

Our Connections

The following groups and/or their members are a part of our journey:

[Updates coming soon]

Our Impact

Our projects positively impact (1) local biodiversity, (2) community resilience, (3) citizen science, (4) education and cultural heritage conservation, (5) food sovereignty and (6) economic security.