ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What role do NGOs play in shaping the future of conservation, and how are they experienced by the communities they aim to support?
In this episode of Rewor(l)ding Conservation, we bring together two grassroots leaders, Preety Sharma from Nagaland, India, and Jupta Itoewaki from Suriname, for an open and grounded conversation rooted in lived experience. Through personal stories, they reflect on moments of collaboration, tension, and learning in their engagements with conservation NGOs.
The discussion moves beyond simple critique to explore the conditions under which NGOs can become meaningful allies. It looks at the kinds of relationships, practices, and shifts needed for conservation efforts to be guided by trust, reciprocity, and local knowledge, with communities recognized as leaders rather than beneficiaries.
Looking ahead, the episode also invites listeners to imagine possible futures for conservation in a time of ecological urgency and social transformation, and to consider what might change if conservation were approached as a practice of care, connection, and coexistence.
