Dr Paula Kahumbu is currently CEO of WildlifeDirect. The goal of this NGO is to ‘Change hearts, minds and laws to ensure Africa’s endangered species live on forever.’ WildlifeDirect originally started as an online performed as a megaphone to African conservationalists to promote the importance of protecting the future of wildlife, however, it has since developed into a lot more. There are many campaigns that have had wider significant impacts for communities and the wildlife that lives within it.

 

One of these is the Imbirikani Women Project, which aimed to “empower the women to identify, conceptualise, formulate and implement initiative that support the sustainable use of natural resources whilst generating income.” Once educated on topics of conservation, the women continue to help to combat issues of conservation, reporting incidents to the authorities, and following up to ensure that there are repercussions of any wrongdoing. This has been especially effective as it has culminated a group interest which has been internalised by their participation in the creation of these norms. It also provided the information with a means of achieving it, by providing materials and advice to help start up enterprises for the women. Copious research studies have found that “at a psychological level, the degree to which an individual associates him or herself to nature is directly related to the type of attitudes that s/he develops” (Schultz et al, 2003, pp.39; Mayer and Frantz, 2004).

 

Another campaign within WildlifeDirect concerns children. The Wildlife Warriors initiative kicked off in 2018 nationally and aimed to connect children in schools with concepts of wildlife conservation, through experimental studies, field work and education. The programme was originally introduced in 2015 and began as the disconnection between nature and the youth grew. Wildlife Warriors felt that it was important to focus on children, as the future, and when discussing with them, understood how they were frustrated. They did notice declines in habitats and threats to wildlife but wasn’t able to connect their goals with the means of achieving them, similar to Durkheim’s anomie. They desired involvement and Wildlife Warriors made this possible.