Finalists named in Wilderness Impact Challenge
Three organisations from Botswana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have been named finalists in the Wilderness Impact Challenge 2026, an initiative that supports practical solutions that strengthen Africa's conservation economy while improving community livelihoods.
Now in its second year, the challenge seeks scalable ideas that benefit people, wildlife and the ecosystems they share. Guided by Wilderness' Empower Impact pillar, it aims to make conservation economically viable, community-led and resilient.
More than 80 applications were received from around the world. According to Wilderness, the finalists were chosen for their ability to combine conservation with enterprise, creating models in which protecting nature also generates sustainable livelihoods.
"The calibre of entries this year was truly exceptional," said Charles Douglas, chairman of the Wilderness Trust. "We were encouraged not only by the creativity and quality of the ideas submitted, but by the commitment to building conservation economies that deliver lasting value for both people and nature."
The three finalists tackle different conservation challenges across southern and eastern Africa.
Zimbabwe's Ele-Collection, based in Victoria Falls, addresses plastic pollution through a women-led recycling initiative. The organisation collects plastic waste from conservation areas and converts it into eco-aggregate for the construction industry, creating jobs while reducing environmental pollution.
In Botswana's Okavango Delta, Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably (CLAWS) works with cattle farmers to reduce human-wildlife conflict and establish Africa's first Certified Wildlife Friendly beef supply chain. By improving livestock management and connecting farmers to premium markets, the initiative creates financial incentives for communities to coexist with predators such as lions.
Tanzania's Wild Survivors is tackling human-elephant conflict in the Serengeti ecosystem by establishing women-led enterprise hubs. Combining beekeeping, regenerative agriculture and the production of honey and other organic products, the initiative creates sustainable incomes while linking communities to tourism operators and conservation-friendly markets.
Douglas said the finalists demonstrated that conservation and economic development could reinforce one another.
"What stood out about these finalists is that, although they address different conservation challenges, they all arrive at the same conclusion: conservation efforts can be strengthened where they create meaningful economic opportunities for surrounding communities," he said.
The winner will be announced at the end of August and will receive support worth US$100,000, together with strategic guidance from the Wilderness Trust to help expand the project's impact.
The inaugural Wilderness Impact Challenge, launched in 2025, was won by Wild Entrust Africa's BioBoundary Project, which uses a non-lethal scent-based deterrent system to help farmers protect livestock while promoting coexistence with predators such as hyenas and leopards.
