Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
March 17, 2026
ROOTS Foundation Funds Indigenous Spiritual Preservation in Colombia, Kenya, Gabon
TLDR
- ROOTS Fellowship Foundation's funding for Indigenous spiritual traditions offers a strategic advantage by preserving irreplaceable knowledge systems that maintain cultural integrity and community resilience.
- ROOTS funds four community-led projects in Colombia, Kenya, and Gabon by supporting lineage holders and apprentices through living costs for immersive spiritual training.
- This initiative safeguards Indigenous healing traditions and languages, ensuring ancestral wisdom continues to benefit communities and protect 40% of the world's intact forests.
- ROOTS supports fascinating projects like the Arhuaco Mamo's lifelong training in Colombia and the Duruma Kaya sacred forest apprenticeship in Kenya.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because the preservation of Indigenous spiritual traditions is not just about cultural heritage—it's about safeguarding vital systems of healing, ecological stewardship, and community resilience that benefit humanity globally. Indigenous knowledge keepers hold wisdom that has sustained ecosystems for millennia, with their communities protecting 40% of the world's remaining intact forests. When these traditions disappear, we lose not only cultural diversity but also practical solutions for health, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion. The ROOTS Foundation's approach of supporting lineage holders and their apprentices ensures that this knowledge is passed on authentically, rather than being appropriated or lost. In an era of climate crisis and cultural homogenization, preserving these living traditions offers pathways to holistic well-being and environmental balance that modern systems often lack.
Summary
The ROOTS Fellowship Foundation, a nonprofit organization fiscally sponsored by Modern Spirit, has announced funding for four new community-led projects aimed at preserving Indigenous spiritual traditions in Colombia, Kenya, and Gabon. Founded by Salome Augustine Bissa Kopasz, Krisztian Kopasz, and Marvin Vivas Rodriguez, ROOTS—which stands for Reviving Our Origins, Traditions & Spirit—addresses the urgent crisis of disappearing ancestral knowledge, with approximately 1,500 Indigenous languages and their associated healing systems at risk. The foundation empowers elders and their chosen successors by providing resources for immersive spiritual training, ensuring these living traditions remain rooted in local governance rather than being treated as museum pieces.
The four active projects span diverse communities: in Colombia's Putumayo region, the Inga Community holds monthly traditional wisdom workshops alongside Yagé ceremonies; in Sasaima, Colombia, the Arhuaco Community supports spiritual leader Mamo Lorenzo Izquierdo and his son's training; in Kenya's Kwale County, the Duruma Community protects sacred forest traditions through mganga Baba Mwatela Masai and his daughter Sipi Mwatela; and in Gabon's Bilandzambi, the Y’azo Leyissa Academy, founded by Yorick Ossavou Mombo, offers preparatory modules in ritual practice and Iboga medicine. These initiatives reflect ROOTS' commitment to keeping ancestral wisdom alive for future generations, with all contributions being tax-deductible through Modern Spirit.
ROOTS' work is critical because Indigenous communities steward 40% of the world's remaining intact forests, yet their knowledge keepers face physical and cultural threats. By funding these projects, the foundation helps maintain cultural integrity and community-led healing programs that entire populations depend on. To support this vital mission or learn more, visit www.rootsfellowshipfoundation.org, where donations are facilitated through Modern Spirit, ensuring transparency and tax benefits for U.S. donors.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by Newsworthy.ai. Read the original source here, ROOTS Foundation Funds Indigenous Spiritual Preservation in Colombia, Kenya, Gabon
