Giraffe Conservation Foundation
Giraffe numbers have plummeted from 140,000 in the late 1990s to less than 80,000 today. In the past 30 years, giraffes have become extinct in at least 7 African nations. The main threats to the species are habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, disease and, increasingly, poaching. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) is the only non-profit in the world that concentrates solely on the conservation and management of giraffe in the wild throughout Africa. Their work has had a positive impact on over 100 million acres of giraffe habitat and helps to protect all four species of giraffe. To learn more about Giraffe Conservation Foundation, visit giraffeconservation.org.
Grevy’s Zebra Trust
The Grevy’s Zebra Trust (GZT) was founded in 2007 for the protection of the Grevy’s zebras and their habitat. Grevy’s zebra numbers have declined rapidly, dropping from roughly 15,000 in the late 1970s to just 3,000 today. They are now one of Africa’s most endangered large mammals. The Conservancy works to engage and incorporate local communities in protecting Grevy’s zebra in Ethiopia and Kenya. To learn more about Grevy’s Zebra Trust, visit grevyszebratrust.org.
Musana
Musana empowers communities to “be the change” by creating sustainable enterprises that break the cycle of dependency and build pathways out of poverty. Musana tackles poverty through an integrated, holistic approach, using income-generating projects as a catalyst for change. They recognize the multifaceted and interconnected needs of the most vulnerable, bringing economic and social development together. Each enterprise meets a need in the community, working independently but in support of each other. All of Musana’s initiatives work together to create a movement of sustainable solutions that are transforming communities throughout Uganda. To learn more about Musana, visit musana.org.
Project Luangwa
Project Luangwa seeks to facilitate community empowerment through the benefits of tourism, by improving education and gender equality in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. Since 2010, a group of the valley’s tour operators recognized the need to empower communities and show the incredible benefits that wildlife and an unspoiled habitat bring to the region. Project Luangwa seeks to reaffirm the importance of tourism as a force for good. To learn more about Project Luangwa, visit projectluangwa.org.