Viewpoints

I am an African woman working as the Conservation Enterprise and Marketing Officer with African People & Wildlife. After watching the events taking place with the Black Lives Matter movement, I was moved to write about my experiences and the opportunities that we as Africans—particularly women—have in the field of conservation. While the Black Lives Matter movement began in the U.S., it directly affects all people of color worldwide, including Africans.

Across Tanzania’s Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem, more than 1,350 environmentally friendly beehives – hanging from giant baobab and acacia trees – represent much more than meets the eye.

This year was the most successful and impactful to date for African People & Wildlife. Our programs created record numbers of wins for people and wildlife, we shared our community-driven conservation model across Africa and beyond, and stories about our work reached new audiences around the world.

Since The Walt Disney Company released the original version of “The Lion King” in 1994, lion populations in the wild have dropped by a staggering 50 percent. Today, a groundbreaking remake of the popular film hits theaters along with a critical mission: to ignite the spirit of conservation around the world and bring lions back from the brink.