Partners

The RDB is the government agency responsible for managing Rwanda’s national parks and protected areas. Its mission is to transform Rwanda into a dynamic hub for business, investment and innovation, with a mission to fast-track economic development in Rwanda by enabling private-sector growth. We began our work with RDB in Akagera National Park in 2010 and in Nyungwe National Park in 2020, and recognise Ms Claire Akamanzi for her unwavering support of Akagera and Nyungwe.

The Wyss Foundation is a private charitable foundation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities, and strengthen connections to the land. The Foundation’s relationship with African Parks began in 2015 with a grant to support the restoration of Akagera National Park, followed by a significant investment in Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, both in Malawi. In 2017, The Wyss Foundation made a ground-breaking commitment of US$65m to provide ongoing support for Akagera and the Malawi parks, along with start-up funding for five new parks. This enabled the addition of Pendjari and W National Parks in Benin, Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in Mozambique, Iona National Park in Angola, and Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. In 2021, the Wyss Foundation furthered its support of African Parks with another extraordinary commitment of US$108m, which will provide for the continued support of current Wyss-funded parks as well as start-up funding for five more new parks.

The mission of the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation is to elevate people, planet, and purpose by changing what people feel is possible and know is doable. The Rob and Melani Walton Foundation seeks partners who focus on the essential and interconnected elements of sustaining life, advancing all forms of knowledge, promoting understanding of healing, and increasing the sustainability of people and our planet. Melani and Rob have been invaluable partners to African Parks since 2003, providing support to safeguard the long-term survival of parks and wildlife across the continent. They have supported the reintroduction of species such as lions and black rhinos to Akagera National Park, the development of evidence-based performance metrics, and our close collaboration with governments and communities to identify and share best practices. In 2020, the Foundation made a transformational US$100m dollar five-year commitment to African Parks, with US$75m going to the creation of the Rob and Melani Walton Endowment, the largest endowment gift in African Parks’ history, and US$25m for park operations on the ground. In 2021, funds from the Foundation supported park operations at Chinko, Odzala-Kokoua, Iona, Akagera, Garamba, and Bangweulu. Additionally, a portion of the Foundation’s annual contribution is used for five-year matching grants to Iona and Odzala-Kokoua in conjunction with the Legacy Landscapes Fund.

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation views its resources as rare risk capital that can improve conditions and create change in the most difficult circumstances and geographies. Since 2014, the Foundation has supported a range of habitat and animal conservation projects as well as operation and security improvements at Rwanda’s Akagera National Park. The Foundation also contributed to security and operations at Garamba National Park in support of its anti-poaching efforts, and in 2020 donated all proceeds from the sale of its Ukulima Farm in South Africa to African Parks’ ongoing operations. In 2021, the Foundation was the lead supporter of the historic translocation of 30 white rhinos to Akagera National Park.