Around the world, 248,953 families have reason to be thankful this year.

That's how many families gained legal rights to land this year through Landesa's partnerships. You can read about seven of those lives changed in our new annual report.

Highlights of what our staff is thankful for:

PHOTO CREDIT: ADAM SCHULTZ / CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Tim Hanstad, President and CEO of Landesa, report progress on Landesa's Commitment to Action, Creating Opportunities for Girls Through Land Rights, at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.

"I'm thankful that the issue of land rights is gaining attention at the highest levels of the global development community."

Tim Hanstad

President & CEO
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"Under a new policy announced at the third plenum earlier this month, China's farmers will be allowed to sell or mortgage their homes and the land beneath them and pass on land-use rights to their children. The reforms have the potential to close the ever-widening gap between China's rich cities and poor rural areas. I couldn't be happier."

Li Ping

Land Tenure Expert & Senior Attorney

"My time spent with the tribal women in the hills of Malkangiri. Here, Landesa's intervention has not only secured the land rights of poor tribals, but has opened ways for women to access the sort of government services most people take for granted."

Pranati Das

Communications Manager, Odisha

PHOTO CREDIT: DEBORAH ESPINOSA

Nareiyo, one of the first women elders in Kenya.

"When we learned that the community of Ol Pusimoru, Kenya decided to hold a new round of elections for the position of tribal elder and include women as candidates, I was so inspired."

Margaret McClung

Program Business Manger

"We have scaled our Girls Project from 8,000 girls to include 38,000 girls in 1,000 poor villages in West Bengal. We are making an impact on so many lives."

Pinaki Halder

State Director, West Bengal

"We were ranked the number one human rights non-profit in the world."

Lincoln Miller

Senior Director of Program Management

November 27, 2013

Landesa in the News

The Guardian posted an editorial by Landesa president and CEO, Tim Hanstad, and senior attorney and advisor of the Landesa Center for Women's Land Rights, Renee Giovarelli, about how a proposed property bill in Kenya would allow women to be stripped of family property, including their home, upon divorce or the death of their husband.

Thomson Reuters AlertNet posted a blog by Landesa attorney and land tenure specialist, Mike Lufkin, and China Country Director, Gao Yu, on how climate change impacts the poor.

Xinhua posted an article on China's land reform and quoted Landesa senior attorney, Li Ping, on how China's land rights reforms are a step in the right direction.

Impatient Optimists posted a blog by Bill Gates Sr. about how Washington State is one of the largest hubs of global health and global development, thanks to organizations like Global Washington, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Landesa.

NPR ran a story about desperate Chinese farmers resorting to self-immolation to protest being forced off their land. Landesa China country director, Gao Yu is quoted.

Bloomberg released a brief featuring analysis from Li Ping about plans for continued national land reform in China.

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