As a firm believer in global wildlife sustainability, I was a Board member with the Mzuri Wildlife Foundation (“MWF”). This extraordinary Foundation was established in1969 with a profound desire to promote wildlife conservation. The Foundation also works to educate the next generation of outdoor sports enthusiasts about conserving wild game animals and their habitats. MWF’s goal is to ultimately achieve harmonious relationships among wildlife, people, and the environment in which we all live and thrive.
To achieve their goal of promoting wildlife sustainability and providing economic alternatives to poaching wild game—such as teaching beekeeping to locals—MWF invests in African-based conservation programs that have a lasting benefit. The programs they fund engage women and youth in the outdoors while also educating individuals and communities on the absolute necessity of conserving natural resources. What most attracted me to the Foundation was their conviction that teaching a single child to appreciate wildlife could positively alter a child’s behavior and the behavior of their family, friends, and community.
The Foundation is not uni-dimensional, however. Grantees span conservation and sporting life enthusiasts, tree-planting programs, encouraging outdoors-women, sourcing water for wildlife, and training dogs to detect poachers.
Board members and supporters of the Foundation spend time in the field, learning the obstacles and hardships that wildlife and the sporting community face, monitoring progress, and ensuring grantees have the support they need. By building strong connections and relationships with grantees, the Foundation stays accountable and ensures grant monies are used effectively.
By partnering with community-based efforts, the Foundation can use a single grant to make a major difference to a project’s success. Facilitating efforts by volunteers rather than paid employees means the Foundation can maximize the benefit of the donated dollars they receive.
After decades of hard work and dedication to sustainability, the Mzuri Wildlife Foundation has raised over $5 million for grassroots wildlife conservation and other programs. I have been proud to work alongside leaders and advisors working together to sustain global wildlife.