African grassroots leaders dominate the 2023 Whitley Awards
The thirtieth version of the ‘Inexperienced Oscars’ was held on the Royal Geographical Society in London to rejoice seven grassroots leaders working to guard communities, wildlife and landscapes and supply locally-led options to the worldwide biodiversity and local weather disaster.
The all-Kenyan group at Ewaso Lions, the place they’re sustaining wildlife, livestock and folks by incorporating drought administration into day-to-day efforts. {Photograph}: Anthony Ochieng/2023 Whitley Awards
Dr Shivani Bhalla, a former Whitley Award winner, obtained the £100 000 (round R2.3 million) Whitley Gold Award, ‘Catalysing a world motion for locally-led conservation’, donated by the Pals of Whitley Fund for Nature. She was introduced the award by WFN Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, in entrance of almost 500 company, and the occasion was live-streamed to over 1 000 individuals worldwide.
The conservation biologist is the founder and government director of Ewaso Lions, a mission she now co-leads along with her all-Kenyan group, whose community-led strategy promotes co-existence between carnivores and folks and has seen the native lion inhabitants develop to file numbers amid the worst drought within the nation’s residing historical past.
That’s important, given lions are extra endangered than elephants or rhinos in Africa.
Samburu lions. Bhalla’s award-winning mission goals to encourage a world motion to empower native leaders to outline community-led conservation efforts by boosting the abilities wanted to struggle mounting threats. It can construct on the success of programmes together with Warrior Watch, created in 2010 by Jeneria Lekilelei, then a younger warrior and now director of neighborhood conservation at Ewaso Lions {Photograph}: Michael Laubscher/2023 Whitley Awards
Different African winners embrace Dr Serge Alexis Kamgang, who will use his Whitley Award funding to guard the final remaining stronghold of 250 lions in Cameroon’s Bénoué ecosystem. Mamy Razafitsalama will use his award to speed up his community-based hearth administration programme to guard the lemur habitat in Madagascar. And Kenya’s Leonard Akwany will proceed to bolster grassroots fisheries administration at Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake.
Meet the 2023 Whitley Award winners.
Observe us on social media for extra journey information, inspiration, and guides. You may as well tag us to be featured.
TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Additionally learn: Cape Town sailor makes history in around-the-world solo race
