In national parks and ecological corridors globally, community champions are fostering harmony between people, wildlife, and other biodiversity, while creating jobs and other economic opportunities in their local areas.
The Global Wildlife Program (GWP) is one of the largest global partnerships created to support country-led initiatives that tackle illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade, mitigate human-wildlife conflict and zoonotic spillover risk, and promote wildlife-based livelihoods. With funding from the Global Environment Facility, the World Bank-led program works with community champions across 38 countries, including in South Africa, Indonesia, Mali, and Ecuador.
South Africa: Martin and Jenny Champion Coexistence with Wildlife
Across the vast expanse of Kruger National Park, Martin Nkosi and Jenny Nkuna work with one of South Africa’s GWP projects as Environmental Monitors, roles in which they contribute to the health of ecosystems through regular observation and reporting as part of a public initiative.
Martin Nkosi’s daily duties involve repairing fences damaged by elephants, poachers, and people collecting firewood or medicinal plants. Though laborious, maintaining the fence helps keep wildlife in—and livestock and poachers out. "The community trusts me as their protector," Martin shares. "They know they can report incidents to me because my duty is to protect both wildlife and people."
Martin also raises awareness in his community about the benefits of wildlife conservation—and has noticed a growing recognition of wildlife as a valuable resource worth protecting.
For Jenny Nkuna, working as an environmental monitor marked her first foray into the field of conservation. "The trainings I’ve been provided on interacting with wildlife and developing leadership skills in my community have been amazing," Jenny says. Her daily patrols and fence repairs help prevent human-wildlife conflict and the spread of diseases from wildlife to livestock, like Bovine Tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth.
Jenny's presence in uniform sparks interest in conservation work in her community. "A lot of people get inspired by seeing me in uniform," she says. Alongside her colleagues, she raises awareness at local schools about wildlife conservation and even participates in a “fun run” to help raise awareness about illegal wildlife trade.
Mali: Meet Djeneba—Protector of Elephants and Ecosystems
In Douentza, Mali, Djeneba Tabalaba once struggled to provide for her family by collecting and selling charcoal. When resources began to dwindle and her customer base declined, Djeneba’s income declined and some of her children dropped out of school.
For Djeneba, Mali’s GWP project changed everything. Djeneba became one of some 1,400 eco-guards, including 83 women, trained in conservation—preventing brushfires, counting elephants, and raising community awareness about environmental protection. She also became part of a community association that received funding with support from the project. "With the arrival of the GWP Mali project, I received training, and I am now part of an association that has benefited from the financing of market gardening activities," Djeneba shares. "Today, with this new activity, my family has enough to eat and I can cover my children's other needs."
The project has not only brought jobs to Douentza and other nearby communities—it is helping promote awareness about the benefits of coexistence with elephants and other wildlife.
The project’s success is also visible across the landscape, as native vegetation and wildlife return. "The numerous benefits of the project encourage us to persevere in our conservation activities and to raise awareness among our community," Djeneba explains.
Indonesia: Sulaiman Sparks Momentum Around Community-led Conservation
On the northern tip of Sumatra, Indonesia, Sulaiman is a guardian of nature and community with support from Indonesia’s GWP project. His environmental advocacy began in 2009 when he was appointed as Imum, charged with sustainably managing natural resources in his local area, Lutueng.
Early on, he recognized the need for long-term solutions to promote responsible forest management. By partnering with Fauna & Flora International, he created new local job opportunities by establishing a nursery with 70% fruit trees for their economic value and 30% woody plants for reforestation purposes.
Sulaiman established the Elephant Conflict Care Community Group to address rising human-elephant conflicts, leading to the installation of electric fences that reduced damage to farms. He also created a ranger patrol to address destruction of the forest and support communities with the resolution of conflicts with elephants.
Through his extensive efforts, Sulaiman has bridged environmental conservation with economic resilience, strengthened community-led governance, and pioneered conflict resolution strategies between humans and wildlife. “Everything we do is for the benefit of the surrounding community,” he observed. Consequently, he has new allies in his endeavor. “Many communities and people are interested in nature conservation activities. Now I hope there will be someone to continue my work.”
Ecuador: Anndy—a Young, Indigenous Leader—Shapes His Community
In the verdant landscapes of Ecuador, Anndy Edison Jimpikit Mashinkiash is a beacon of progress for his Shuar community, one of the 14 indigenous nationalities of Ecuador. At 22, he proves that age is no barrier to leadership.
Anndy’s journey began with neighborhood cleanups and community workshops. At 17, he was named president of a new local association aiming to expand access to shared resources. Though initially doubted because of his age, his agricultural background and vision quickly won trust. He led the launch of an apiculture (beekeeping) project, later shifting to meliponiculture—the cultivation of stingless bees—to support vanilla pollination. The community now runs a honey collection center and is diversifying income with chickens, native fish, and cacao—reducing reliance on bushmeat, protecting wildlife, and lowering disease risk.
Beyond leading association projects, Anndy inspires both young and old, teaching organic farming and encouraging community participation in conservation activities, including in his role as local coordinator for the Ecuador’s GWP project. Anndy's sister, following in his footsteps, is a community wildlife monitor, a role he once held.
He understands the importance of his work. “The projects we are working on today can help bring wildlife back to our forests and keep other wildlife safe.”
Community Champions with Global Impact
Community champions like Martin, Jenny, Djeneba, Sulaiman, and Anndy work tirelessly to strengthen the resilience of the wildlife, nature, and the communities they care for. Their commitment and leadership have catalyzed conservation momentum locally, improving lives and ecosystems alike.
The Global Wildlife Program supports community champions across the breadth of its project portfolio, currently comprising 38 countries, and works to ensure a harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife. To date, the program has benefited almost 800,000 people.
