Carmen Omonte

Peruvian indigenous leader combating illegal logging through digital activism

Carmen Omonte (b. 1990) is an Asháninka environmental activist leading the fight against illegal logging in the Peruvian Amazon. In 2022, she pioneered the use of drone surveillance and satellite mapping to document illegal deforestation activities, sharing real-time data with international authorities. Her organization Guardian Forest has exposed over 150 illegal logging operations since 2020, leading to 34 successful prosecutions. Omonte's innovative approach combines ancestral indigenous knowledge with modern technology - she trains community members to use solar-powered drones while maintaining traditional forest monitoring practices.

Her 2023 campaign #AmazonEyes viral social media campaign garnered 2.3 billion views, mobilizing global support for indigenous land rights. Omonte's work directly protects 4 million hectares of rainforest and supports 12,000 indigenous families. She was featured in National Geographic's 2024 Environmental Heroes series and received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2023. Her TEDx talk here explains her philosophy of 'technological syncretism'.