Partners

The DNPW is the statutory organisation in charge of national parks, wildlife reserves and sanctuaries, as well as wildlife management on communal lands in Malawi, while The Department of Forestry is responsible for the management of all forest reserves in the country. We began our work with the DNPW in Majete Wildlife Reserve in 2003, in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park in 2015, and most recently in Mangochi Forest Reserve in 2018. The Public-Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) has played an instrumental role, particularly in the conclusion of the more recent projects.

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.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has been supporting African Parks since 2007, with the goal of promoting the African Parks management model across Africa. WWF Zambia contributes to core operating costs and conservation projects at Liuwa Plain National Park and Bangweulu Wetlands. WWF the Netherlands provides support to the Zambian parks and Odzala-Kokoua National Park. WWF Belgium became a strategic funding partner in 2017 supporting the Malawi parks and Liuwa Plain.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty, deliver global goals for sustainable development (SDGs) and tackle a wide range of global challenges. In Malawi, £1 million in UK Aid from the British people is helping build resilience and adaptation to climate change among the communities living around the protected areas under our management. They are supporting education, developing alternative livelihoods, building local leadership capacity, raising awareness on the importance of the environment and conservation, and showcasing how protected areas mutually benefit nature and people.

People’s Postcode Lottery manages lotteries on behalf of 20 Postcode Trusts. A minimum of 32 percent goes directly to charities and good causes across Britain and internationally. African Parks has been a recipient of funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery since 2015. In 2020, African Parks received £2 million as part of the Postcode Climate Challenge initiative, to help secure ecosystems and mitigate climate change in Chinko, Odzala-Kokoua, Liuwa Plain and Nyungwe National Park.

The U.S. Department of State, through both the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the Bureau of African Affairs (AF), advances good governance and peace and security, pre-requisites for sustainable economic development and protection of natural resources. They began providing support in 2018 and have committed over US$3 million for ranger uniforms, equipment and training for African Parks teams operating in Chad, Central African Republic, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo and Zambia. They have also supported leadership development and core training infrastructure, all of which leads to enhanced capacity to disrupt illegal wildlife trade and promote regional stability.