It’s 2019. Rokiatou Traoré and her husband are fired up. After 11 years of living and working in Europe, they’re heading back home to Mali to build a business that…
In 2004, the deadliest tsunami in recorded history tore through the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 230,000 people and displacing 1.7 million. At the time, Susan Njoroge was working with…
Settling for the “conventional idea of success” may have once been an appealing option for Milha Desta, but that time has long passed. Now, she’s restless—searching for spaces where she…
As a child, Trish Sewe was a walking-talking hurricane of mischief. If there was an adventure to be had, she was leading it. If there was trouble brewing, odds were,…
Ngozi Ifeoma Malo has spent her whole life chasing. Chasing knowledge. Chasing justice. Chasing excellence. “As a kid, I competed with others. As an adult, I compete with myself. Once…
Valera Lucena Dias was the child no one expected much from. She was deeply loved, fiercely sheltered, but not always heard. In church, while the other kids sang and danced,…
In 2024, Balkissa Daoura attended a conference alongside other Climate Justice Activists from over 20 African countries. They had gathered in Senegal for something powerful: The African Peoples Counter COP…
We live in a world that puts a premium on those who command the most attention. As if being introverted is something to overcome. But Kristi Maciejewski has never subscribed…
Pricelia Tumenta never really grew up in a home—at least, not in the conventional way that most people imagine a home to be. Her parents’ love was something she felt…
The first time he touched her inappropriately, she froze. Peace Quiminee was twelve, maybe thirteen. He was a grown man; a trusted family friend who lived in her neighbourhood. Every time…
“Who are you?” Dr Jacqueline Uku (provided) This is a question I sometimes lead with in these interviews. It sounds simple, but it’s not easy to answer. Most of us…
Harisoa Rakotondrazafy is in the thick of learning a tough life lesson: how to stay generous with her time and energy without forgetting herself. She opens our conversation with these…
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing hundreds of people, and here’s something I always find surprising: very few believe they actually have a story worth telling. Agatha…
Long, long ago, before globalisation, before urbanisation, before colonialism, the indigenous people of Africa lived with nature as one. Forests were revered as sacred sanctuaries of wisdom. Mountains were mighty…
In most traditional African cultures, a child’s name is more than just an identifier. It represents the hopes and values of the community. It carries meaning, expectation, purpose. Take Uyi,…
What I am really trying to do is “un-northern hemisphere” conservation planning frameworks so that communities are part of the planning process, not just an implementation item. From her humble…
We can learn a lot from traditional ways of conserving the environment. You know how people have lived in harmony with wildlife for centuries? That is education. And it is…
A woman’s journey in conservation shouldn’t come down to sacrificing one thing for the other—the workplace should enable and support that holistic life. Basilia’s humble upbringing in a small village…
Ask yourself, “What is it that you fear?” “What would you do in the absence of this fear?” Because fear isn’t real. It’s a false story we tell ourselves when…
Honing productive compassion is about stepping back from the knee-jerk reactions. Acknowledging that life comes with struggles but thinking beyond the immediate response. Considering the person’s voice rather than imposing…
If enough of us fully comprehend that the work requires a systems-level shift and if enough of us are willing to make the necessary sacrifices, then we will see positive…
The differences we see between people help us put things in these “neat” little boxes where everything belongs. It’s our way of making sense of what is unfamiliar. Malawian-born Lessah…
I feel freer to be me…And when you have that freedom, you also give others the freedom to think whatever they want about you. It’s like shedding the need for…
Donors must support entire teams, not just specific projects because conservation is not just a hobby. It’s real work, and real work deserves real pay. In 2007, a rather naïve…
I realised the key is integrating or blending my work and personal responsibilities rather than striving for work-life balance. She is both tender and fierce. Ambitious and modest. But for…
I recognise that different situations call for different approaches. In our context, what has worked is the gentler way. Nalaroi. This is Belinda Low Mackey’s adoptive Samburu name. It denotes…
Xoli very sadly passed away in 2024. We honour her story here, to find out more about her incredible work and legacy please see this tribute from her WE sisters.
The broader the impact of my goal, the more successful I consider myself. With Emily Otali, what you see is what you get. And you get a straight-talking go-getter whose…
Often, the easy option ends up making for the hardest life. Resilient. Tenacious. Driven. This is Nancy Githaiga. Despite being dealt a less than favourable hand in the earlier days…
Everyone who has led me well has had that clear sense of who they are and their work in the world. While most people who get into conservation are driven…
Early in my career, I was idealistic about what conservation on the African continent looks like. As I’ve evolved, I’ve learned that reality differs from the general discourse and what…
We are doing everything we can to ensure food is on the table, our forests are protected, and the community has water. The wanton destruction of forests has led to…
Do not suffer in silence. Silence a ticking bomb…But before sharing your truth with the world, find someone you trust, and tell them your story. That will give you back…
Financial security is important, but I rate passion highly because when everything else doesn’t seem to be working out, it is passion that will keep you moving forward. Dr Nina…
I want to do good deeds in this world, even if I don’t always get the recognition. Bruktawit (Bruk) Abdu Mahamued’s passion for conservation work traces back to a childhood…
When your attitude is positive, when you have good ideas, and when you contribute to change, you remain young. You become old when you stop dreaming and inspiring others. The…
I firmly believe in the law, but it should be the last resort. Before we punish people for poaching pangolins, do they even know that the pangolin is an endangered…
I startled myself when I discovered I could be more than I believed. Lucy Waruingi is the Executive Director of African Conservation Centre (ACC) and the current chair and founder member of…
Resources and time are abundant. What there isn’t an abundance of is more people with good attitudes. Co-founder and Director of the Institute of the Conservation of Nature, Zilanie Gondwe,…
It takes time to build credibility, longer still as an African woman. Susan Matindi Waithaka serves as the Country officer – a liaison between the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and its network…
I’ve learned not to regret, but rather, learn from my choices. Ojochenemi Ruth Akagu is a Conservation Biologist with over 13 years of experience in biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood…
If we cannot come up with an agreement that works for all of us, we (Africans) will continue to bear the brunt of the devastating effects of climate change. Sibongile…
My ideal world is one where we would get what we need from nature without putting so much pressure on it—a world where organisations like ours didn’t need to exist.…
Of course, we must stop the emissions urgently, but we’ve also got to help the people that are dealing with the consequences of those emissions Melissa de Kock is the Lead…
When you gain knowledge, you can make informed decisions. Dr. Faith Milkah Wakonyo Muniale is a landscape ecologist with research and development experience in natural resources management and livelihoods. She…
I have always believed that if a majority of the privileged and elite class were more reflective, accountable and real with themselves, real with seeing things as they are, we…
I believe it’s OK to be vulnerable as a leader. Because to be human is to be vulnerable. Denise Okpala is the Office Manager for Financial Reporting and Grants at…
Lions are incredibly important and are a symbol of Kenya in many ways. But it has to be more. It has to be about us. Our cultures, our innovation, our…
We are functioning in a system that was developed by men and for men; it’s tough to push your agenda through when whole systems have been created to serve one…
