Saving 20,000 Endangered Frankincense in Somalia

Dear Donors,

Something good happened this summer. In late August, a donor gave $200, our largest single gift so far. It brought our total to $251, and honestly, it lifted our spirits. We still have $27,658 to go, but that gift reminded our volunteer teams that people out there are listening.

We also want to be straight with you. With limited funds, our activity on the ground has been small. In Ufeyn district, Custodian Committee members have kept an eye on the 250 frankincense trees we mapped in our June update, checking how the ones we treated are recovering. A few more trees received gentle follow-up care with hand tools the volunteers already owned. We also sat down with the community twice to talk through traditional tapping practices and keep shaping the Sustainable Harvesting Guide.

One elder put it simply. "We are not waiting for money to care for our trees. We are only waiting for money to teach others."

That is where we are right now. The plans are ready. The guide is nearly finished. The custodian trainer network is drafted. What we need is the funding to bring it all to life. The $200 gift moved us closer, and we hope it is the start of something wider.

Thank you for standing with these communities. They give their time freely, and they notice every bit of support.

With gratitude,