Youth Climate WARRIORS
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Hijos de la Selva (Children of the Forest Foundation)
Lead Organization: Janeth Guanulema
Country: Ecuador – Amazon Rainforest
Category Award: Youth Finalist
Year: 2026
How Indigenous Youth Are Protecting the Forest’s Future
For centuries, the forest has been life itself for the Indigenous A’i Kofan people living deep within the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador. The forest provides food, medicine, and a deep cultural connection to the land. For the community, the forest is not just nature, it is their way of life.
Today, this way of life is under threat. In the remote territories of Sucumbíos Province, illegal mining, oil extraction, and deforestation are rapidly damaging the forest and wildlife. Forests that once sustained Indigenous communities are being cleared or polluted, weakening biodiversity and accelerating climate change. For the roughly 1,500 members of the A’i Kofan community, the stakes are deeply personal. As forests disappear, so do traditional livelihoods, cultural knowledge, and the ancestral connection to the land. Young people are especially affected because environmental damage can limit their future opportunities and weaken the cultural traditions passed down through generations.
Youth Rising to Defend the Forest
In 2023, Indigenous youth leader Janeth Guanulema founded the Children of the Forest Foundation, known as Hijos de la Selva, to protect the Amazon while empowering youth and women in her community.
The initiative works through a holistic approach that combines environmental protection with social and economic development. Reforestation and conservation efforts help restore damaged ecosystems and protect biodiversity. At the same time, the organization promotes sustainable economic alternatives such as ecotourism and small bio-enterprises, allowing families to generate income without harming the forest. Training programs equip young people and women with leadership skills and knowledge in environmental stewardship. By strengthening Indigenous leadership, the initiative ensures that the communities most connected to the forest remain at the forefront of defending it.
Janeth has also raised global awareness about Amazon protection through advocacy and her participation in the documentary Green SuperHeroes 2030. By combining Indigenous knowledge with digital storytelling and international outreach, Hijos de la Selva brings global attention to the importance of protecting both the rainforest and the people who safeguard it.
Growing impact in the Amazon
Although still a young initiative, Hijos de la Selva has already begun creating meaningful change. The program directly serves approximately 1,500 members of the A’i Kofan community, supported by a five-member core team leading conservation and education efforts. More than 2,000 square meters of forest territory are currently under active protection and reforestation. These efforts help restore ecosystems while strengthening awareness of Indigenous territorial rights and environmental stewardship among youth.
The initiative has also empowered women by creating opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and encouraging their participation in conservation and community leadership. At the same time, global advocacy has increased international visibility for the protection of the Amazon and Indigenous communities.
A New Generation of Forest Guardians
Hijos de la Selva represents a powerful example of youth-led climate action. By placing Indigenous youth at the center of conservation, the initiative demonstrates how environmental protection, cultural preservation, and economic resilience can move forward together. The initiative also invests in youth leadership and combines ancestral knowledge with modern digital tools to amplify Indigenous voices globally. Because the model is community-led and rooted in Indigenous governance, it has the potential to be replicated in other Amazonian territories facing similar environmental threats.
By empowering the next generation to defend one of the planet’s most important ecosystems, Hijos de la Selva demonstrates how youth leadership can drive meaningful climate action. The Amazon rainforest is one of the world’s most vital carbon sinks. Protecting it is essential not only for Indigenous communities, but for the stability of the global climate.
Through leadership, conservation, and cultural resilience, a new generation of forest guardians is rising to protect the forest that has sustained their people for centuries.