Protecting a Rainforest in Memory of H.H. Al Sharifeh Nawzat Bint Ali

Nawzat was a member of the Jordanian Hashemite Royal family. She devoted her professional life to the service of her country and to protecting the natural world that sustains us all. In 2022, after a painful three-year battle with leukemia, Nawzat passed away at the age of 49.

For David Newman, her husband, and for her family, this tragic loss was overwhelming. "She was beautiful and intelligent and our hearts were broken when she died. We wanted to celebrate her life, to memorialize who she was and what she meant to so many people. We decided we wanted to protect a beautiful piece of the planet to honor Nawzat's memory. A place where a forest would always be a forest. Where its trees would grow old. A place which generation after generation of plants and animals could call home."

David found that place in Ecuador. When Nawzat passed away, David and many of their friends pooled together their donations. Thanks to their generosity, Jocotoco was able to purchase 170 acres (70 hectares) of land and add it to the Narupa Reserve in the Amazon foothills. Jocotoco placed a sign on the land, written in both English and Arabic, memorializing Nawzat.

David added, "In this beautiful place, on the other side of the world, our beloved Nawzat's name will live on." Nawzat never visited the Narupa Reserve, but David plans to travel to Ecuador soon to visit the land he, his friends and family protected. He will not be alone. Countless species of the rainforest will accompany him. And so will Nawzat's memory.

Nawzat led an extraordinary life and she always felt a deep connection to nature. She was the first Muslim woman to graduate with a master's degree in International Environmental Law from the University of Washington. She represented her country in many international organizations including the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) at the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), INECE (International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).?? She advised Ministers in Amman and Jordanian Embassies globally on tackling complex environmental issues and negotiations.

David said "The tradition in Islam, when somebody passes away, is to give to causes that matter most to you. We drilled some wells for clean water for Indonesian villages. We donated to a school for handicapped children in Jordan. But the most meaningful way to remember Nawzat was to buy a piece of rainforest in her name and protect it forever."

The Narupa Reserve is home to incredible forests and unique wildlife. In this region, vast national parks, other Jocotoco reserves, private reserves, and Kijos and Kichwa indigenous reserves protect a mosaic of habitats from glaciers at the tops of tall Andean mountains to humid, lowland rainforests. Spectacled Bear, Puma, and Ocelot roam the landscape. Harpy Eagles soar overhead. The land purchased in Nawzat's memory will always support this amazing diversity of life.

You too can give a gift in memory of a loved one. By donating to Jocotoco, your gift, like the memory of those near and dear to you, will last forever.

If you'd like to make a substantial donation in memory of someone close to you, reach out to Jajean Rose, Director of Jocotoco US, by emailing [email protected] or calling 1 (716) 247-1255. We would love to help you protect a threatened habitat, save wildlife from extinction, or replant a tropical forest. You can also donate directly in honor of or in memory of someone on our website, HERE