A message from environmental activist Belai Djandam

The daughter of Indigenous Dayak parents from Borneo, nature has always been a huge part of Laetania Belai Djandam’s culture and identity. 

“My mother, who is a forest conservationist, is a mentor and large influence on my work as an activist. She raised me with strong Dayak values and taught me that the two most important things I must always protect are: nature and culture.”

—Laetania Belai Djandam

Prior to joining Health In Harmony (HIH), Belai’s passion for planetary health grew from volunteering on-site at HIH’s sister organization, Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI), where she assisted community-based environmental protection programmes with the local people in West Borneo.

Now, as a member of the HIH Advisory Board, Planetary Health Practitioner and environmental activist, Belai recently shared a message on behalf of Health In Harmony. 

In the video, Belai urges us all to invest in Indigenous solutions and knowledge at this climate critical moment in history, in order to protect the rainforests we rely on to mitigate global heating.

Follow Belai on Instagram here and watch the video above. You can also visit the ACT NOW: Healthy People. Healthy Planet. website to learn more about and support this work.