Maliasili

It “takes a village” to ignite lasting change, and it becomes unstoppable when the village is full of visionary, strategic, and powerful women. ?? Today, we proudly celebrate the incredible female #leaders driving our partner organizations and leaving an indelible mark on community-led conservation. At all levels across these organizations, they are championing land rights for indigenous communities; stewarding the conservation of forests, wildlife, endangered species, and marine ecosystems; promoting community livelihoods; and more. They truly exemplify community-led conservation at its finest. ???? We are privileged to work alongside these leaders who continuously focus on growing their impact, motivating their teams, and serving as powerful voices both at the community level and on the global stage. At Maliasili, we are deeply inspired by their leadership and continue to learn from their invaluable expertise and unwavering passion for creating lasting change. We recently asked them:?What would you say is your unique strength or quality that empowers you to drive change? ?? #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction Tiana Andriamanana Rahima Njaidi Estella Toperesu Susan Canney Vony RAMINOARISOA Nancy Iraba Paine Mako Dorothy Asuza Aseyo Moreangels Mbizah Fanamby MTANDAO WA JAMII WA USIMAMIZI WA MISITU TANZANIA (MJUMITA) Southern Alliance For Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE) Aqua-Farms Organization - AFO Ujamaa Community Resource Team Wildlife Conservation Action NACSO Namibia Environmental & Rural Solutions

In Kenya's Greater Rift Valley, thousands of local actors are restoring land using wisdom passed through generations. It's a privilege to celebrate with them the launch of the #RestoreLocal Initiative in Kenya. Together with these restoration champions, we're working to bring Africa's landscapes back to life. ?? Read more ?? https://go.wri.org/UBUV91 #RestoreLocal #GenerationRestoration #LanscapeRestoration #Africa

We recently wrapped up a week with the second cohort of the Madagascar Environmental Leadership Programme. Seeing the cohort continuously gain new clarity and assurance in their leadership journey is inspiring. The week’s focus, Leading Teams and Organizations, has empowered participants to take the next steps toward improving their organizational culture and building stronger, more effective teams. Tiana Andriamanana from Fanamby shared: “I am in the room of renewal because I know I have the team I need!” Moments like these remind us how critical strong leadership is for creating lasting environmental impact. At Maliasili, we are proud to support local leaders through our leadership programs. We believe that fostering strong, visionary leadership is key to achieving lasting impact in conservation. Our leadership program is designed to provide the tools, knowledge, and networks that enable African conservation leaders to strengthen their organizations and drive sustainable change. The work being done by Malagasy environmental organizations is a testament to their leaders' passion, commitment, and vision. We’re excited for what lies ahead for this group and the communities they serve. Marianne Haritiana Randriamihaja Josia Razafindramanana Alihasina RAKOTONDRAMANANA Liz Prémesnil Day

Conservation organizations are no strangers to navigating unexpected crises – they’ve had to become experts at it. From the rhino and elephant poaching crisis of 2012–2014 to COVID-19, extreme droughts and floods, locust invasions, and funding issues, they have had to adapt and pivot continually. Only the most resilient survive. In our latest Reader, Sam Shaba, CEO of Honeyguide Foundation, and Angus Middleton, Executive Director of the Namibia Nature Foundation, share some top tips that any team, large or small, can adopt to remain agile, relevant, and incredibly resilient. Link to the full Reader: https://lnkd.in/g_kgp3by

What happens when women are given the tools to lead?? ????♀?????♀? Over 1,000 women in Ngorongoro, Longido, and Monduli who won leadership positions?in the 2024 local elections are ready to show you! Take Grace Laizer, for example—a young Maasai woman from Oremit Losirwa village in Monduli district. Raised in a highly patriarchal community where women’s voices are underrepresented and excluded from decision-making, she was determined to break barriers and advocate for the rights and opportunities of women in her community. Through mentorship and training from Women’s Rights and Leadership Forums (WRLFs), she gained the skills and confidence to run for office. ?? And guess what? She won! Today, as Secretary of the Tanzania Women’s Union (UWT), Grace has achieved a historic milestone—not just for herself, but for the women she represents. She is leading, advocating, and proving that when women rise, communities flourish. Most importantly, her success reflects the transformative power of education in challenging deeply entrenched norms that have long excluded women from decision-making spaces and perpetuated their marginalization. ? Share this story to celebrate women’s leadership! ? Join the conversation: What challenges do women face when stepping into leadership? Drop your thoughts below! #PastoralWomensCouncil #PWCTanzania #WomenEmpowerment

The Southern Alliance For Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE) has been a steadfast force in supporting rural communities in Zimbabwe since 1994. Their mission is clear: to drive economic development through the sustainable use of natural resources, promoting innovative approaches to improve livelihoods, build resilience, and safeguard the environment. ?? SAFIRE's work spans multiple districts, focusing on community-based natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and sustainable agriculture. By strengthening local institutions and promoting initiatives like agroforestry and energy-efficient technologies, SAFIRE empowers communities to tackle climate challenges, achieve food security, and boost income. Their efforts in forest restoration - transforming degraded lands into productive, fruit-bearing spaces - are particularly noteworthy. With over 30 years of impact, SAFIRE is now reflecting on its identity and future direction. Over the past few days, we had the privilege of facilitating their strategic plan validation. Beyond strategy, Mr. Ivor Kunaka led invaluable sessions on financial management and the role of audits for nonprofits. These discussions were eye-opening and provided critical insights to strengthen SAFIRE’s organizational development. Working alongside the SAFIRE team has been energizing, helping shape a forward-looking strategy that will guide the next phase of their growth and journey. ??

?? Last year, we visited our new partners in Rwanda for the first time, including the Forest of Hope Association, Rwanda, a local organization based in the Rutsiro District of the Western Province. FHA is dedicated to restoring the Gishwati forest, a vital ecosystem that plays a critical role in biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and the livelihoods of local communities. ?? Over the past 12 years, FHA has worked closely with local communities on restoration projects to return the forest to its natural state. These efforts have restored thousands of hectares of degraded land, and Gishwati was gazetted as a national park in 2016 and is now part of the Gishwati-Mukura National Park. In addition to forest restoration, FHA’s work focuses on active community forest conservation, outreach, environmental education, eco-tourism, and improving local livelihoods through income generation. FHA also facilitates research on the Gishwati Forest ecosystem to support conservation efforts even further. In 2024, as a result of Maliasili's partnership with Bezos Earth Fund and WRI Africa, FHA joined our portfolio so we could support their organizational growth as they scale their impact. During an organizational assessment workshop, Maliasili and FHA discussed the organization's current state and identified key areas that need strengthening as we continue our partnership. Thierry Aimable Inzirayineza, the FHA coordinator since its founding, said: “We are excited about this partnership and look forward to benefiting from it. We will be open to you so that you can support us on our growth journey. There is a proverb in Kinyarwanda that says, 'Ushaka gukira indwara arayirata,' which means, 'If one wants to heal from a disease, he must talk about it openly.' We will embrace this proverb to fully benefit from your support.” We are thrilled to embark on this growth journey with the FHA team as they continue to make a lasting impact on the landscape. In March, we will begin FHA's strategic planning process, working closely to help the team define clear goals, align their vision with actionable steps, and set a roadmap for sustained success. ?? Claudine Tuyishime, Maliasili Portfolio Manager, Rwanda

Honeyguide Foundation is at the forefront of developing replicable tools and methodologies for supporting community co-existence of wildlife in Africa. Great to see this published in collaboration with International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

I have been struck this week, as wonderful friends (thanks Holly Jonas et al!) highlighted this article by Ashoka Mukpo on the grave implications of the US funding cuts. While many recognize the ripple effects this is already causing, several people seem to have taken the view that most of this was "waste" and that funders should only focus on endangered species protection. For those questioning why these projects matter: ?? Africa contributes just 4% of global carbon emissions yet bears the greatest burden of climate change impacts. ?? Indigenous and locally led initiatives around the world are not "frivolous" but essential, tackling not only climate and biodiversity loss but also issues of rights, culture and dignity, finding value in their resources - things that matter most. ?? This work counteracts a global push for more extractive and oppressive practices—deforestation, land grabs, and more oil and gas exploration for the wealthy—that only deepen the crisis. Cutting support now doesn't just abandon these efforts; it undermines global progress when we need it most. My contribution to this article focuses on the need for better money for these projects. Why? Because: ?? Despite all the work they do for the planet, Indigenous people and local communities receive less than 1% of climate funding. ?? Of all the philanthropic funding coming to the continent, only between 5-10% of it goes to African organizations. ?? We've asked African organizations what kind of support they need, and they've told us! (see link to Greening the Grassroots in the comments below :) I'm excited to be attending the International Funders for Indigenous Peoples conference in Naivasha this week, where I will meet groups that bear these challenges, groups that recognise the need to support the right to self-determination, people who recognize and want to stand in solidarity with those who are holding us all up. https://lnkd.in/d7jN8VVK #ClimateJustice #IndigenousLeadership #LocalLeadership #TusemeUkweli Holly Jonas Leela Hazzah Fridah Githuku (F.M) Jessie Davie Rhett Ayers Butler Dickson Kaelo Maanda Ngoitiko Njenga Kahiro Fred Nelson Tallash Kantai Isha Tickoo Jessica Brown Imani Fairweather Morrison

U.S. funding cuts cripple conservation efforts Conservationists worldwide are grappling with the fallout from the Trump administration’s abrupt suspension of USAID and foreign aid, a move that has left crucial environmental projects in financial limbo, reports Ashoka Mukpo. For decades, the U.S. government has been a major funder of biodiversity initiatives, directing hundreds of millions of dollars toward combating deforestation, wildlife trafficking, and habitat loss. The sudden halt has conservation groups scrambling to secure alternative funding, as key programs grind to a halt. USAID allocated $375 million to biodiversity projects in 2023, financing everything from ranger patrols to habitat restoration. Traditionally, this funding has enjoyed bipartisan support, protected by a “biodiversity earmark” in Congress’s annual appropriations. “Whoever’s at the level of president or in control of the House, it hasn’t really changed funding for biodiversity,” said one aid worker involved in anti-wildlife trafficking projects in Africa. Yet, with the suspension of all foreign aid programs for at least 90 days, conservationists now face uncertainty over whether allocated funds will reach their intended recipients. The impact is already being felt. In the Congo Basin, where the U.S. has historically been one of the largest conservation donors, USAID-backed ranger salaries have been slashed, forcing reserves to reduce patrols. Virunga National Park alone has received more than $23M in U.S. funding since 2019. Now, the freeze has left researchers and local conservationists in limbo. “We just had the plug pulled on us, and we don’t have a plan right now,” said Matt Hansen of the University of Maryland. The disruption extends widely: - In Sumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem, patrols protecting rhinos, tigers & orangutans have been scaled back due to funding cuts. - In Namibia, efforts to curb wildlife crime through community conservancies have been hobbled. - Kenya’s conservancies were set to receive nearly $13M from USAID this year. Without those funds, the incentives for local communities to preserve wildlife may erode, raising the risk of habitat loss & increased human-wildlife conflict. The situation is compounded by the deletion of data from USAID’s website, obscuring details on which projects face immediate jeopardy. Conservationists are left in a financial & logistical vacuum, uncertain if or when funding might be restored. While a federal judge yesterday ordered reinstatement of aid, the ruling’s implementation remains unclear. For now, conservation groups must triage. Some organizations will downsize; others may close operations altogether. “If you take away support for civil society, government, and the environment, it’s not going to be good at all,” said Hansen. Meanwhile, those still in the field must navigate an increasingly uncertain landscape, knowing that once lost, funding—and the progress it sustains—is difficult to recover.