Monster pipeline

It's one of the biggest pipelines in the world -- and now we have a small window to stop it. [Take Action Now!] My friends at Avaaz, I write from Uganda, from the farm that used to feed my family. Now, oil giant Total is building one of the biggest, dirtiest pipelines right through my land. The government says the pipeline will help Africans, but I wonder who they mean. 100,000 people will lose their homes so oil bosses can get richer. I’m a single mother, and without my farm, I can’t afford food for my children. We’re fighting back, but over 80 activists like me have been arrested -- some abducted and beaten. Meanwhile, bulldozers are ripping up our biggest national park, and one oil spill could poison the water for millions. This pipeline is a monster, and now we have a small window to defeat it. This month, one of Africa’s highest courts will finally hear our case -- the ruling could stop this pipeline in its tracks! We’ve been waiting three years to tell our stories in court, yet many of us can’t even afford the bus. I’m humbly asking for your help. If we raise enough, small farmers like me could travel to court and our legal teams can prepare for the hearing. We’d help get justice for detained activists, and Avaaz could hire media specialists to shine an international spotlight on our case -- letting the judges know the world is watching. Help me reclaim my land, and all of our futures. Donate what you can now: [I'LL DONATE $2]( [I'LL DONATE $4]( [I'LL DONATE $8]( [I'LL DONATE $16]( [I'LL DONATE $32]( [OTHER AMOUNT]( This 1440-km long crude oil pipeline will run through one of the most beautiful places on Earth, land that 1 million people depend on for water and fishing. One big oil spill could destroy it all -- polluting our water, and sickening the wildlife we share it with. Some people think Uganda needs oil to develop, but this is a trap. My own village has used solar power for years. As a farmer, I have already seen how a hotter climate has changed rainy and dry seasons, killing our crops. Anything that makes this worse can never be good for our country. Dozens of young people have been arrested for trying to stop these oil projects. Many of them are students, or from rural areas, and have little support. With your help, Avaaz could: - Challenge the huge crude oil pipeline ripping through our land -- bring victims to the courtroom and support the legal teams as they prepare for the upcoming hearing at the East African Court of Justice; - Fund an emergency ‘lawyer’s brigade’ -- help free activists in custody and get justice for those wrongfully detained, respond to future arrests, and set up a hotline and training for activists; - Bring international attention to these atrocities -- hire media experts to cover the hearing, land grabs, and arrests, and let the judges know the world is watching; - Protect local legal teams from security threats -- hire an expert to help protect against cybersecurity attacks; and - Empower Avaaz campaigners to defend land rights alongside Indigenous and frontline communities, and continue the fight to protect life on Earth. Together, we can stop these oil giants and get justice for families like mine -- donate what you can now: [I'LL DONATE $2]( [I'LL DONATE $4]( [I'LL DONATE $8]( [I'LL DONATE $16]( [I'LL DONATE $32]( [OTHER AMOUNT]( I know that Avaaz is no stranger to using the power of the law. Right now, you are helping to stop the forced eviction of Maasai communities -- and your support was crucial in the historic ruling that protected 500,000 acres of Amazon rainforest from oil extraction. Now, I’m asking you to stand with farmers like me in Uganda and Tanzania as we fight to protect our lands, and with them the futures of all our children. With hope and determination, Rachael Tugume with the whole team at Avaaz PS. This might be your first donation to our movement ever. But what a first donation! Did you know that Avaaz relies entirely on small donations from members like you? That's why we're fully independent, nimble and effective. Join the over 1 million people who've donated to make Avaaz a real force for good in the world. More information: - [Uganda: Oil Pipeline Project Impoverishes Thousands]( (Human Rights Watch) - [An Oil Rush Threatens Natural Splendors Across East Africa]( (The New York Times) - [Uganda: Crackdown on activists protesting against large-scale oil projects]( (International Federation for Human Rights) - [Major African pipeline project leaves Ugandan farmers at the mercy of climate change]( (El País) Avaaz is a 70-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 22 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns [here](, or follow us on [Facebook](, [X](, or [Instagram](. 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