The Malilangwe Trust is a Zimbabwean non-profit organisation dedicated to environmental conservation and committed to the development of lives in our local communities.
Our Story
We strive to
- Restore and preserve the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve’s ecosystem, allowing for natural change.
- Make a meaningful contribution to conservation science through dedicated research.
- Contribute towards the development of people’s lives in our surrounding communities.
- Develop sustainable revenue streams to fund the above activities.
Since 1994 we have been integrating conservation and community development by pioneering science-based protection and reintroduction of wildlife, alongside community development programmes that educate and support future generations.
Our achievements include:
Conservation
- Effectively conserving 50 000 hectares of wildlife reserve, comprising 38 terrestrial and 2 aquatic habitats.
- Protecting 19 free-ranging large mammal species and numerous smaller life forms.
- Protecting over 350 endangered rhinos, as well as other vulnerable and near-threatened wildlife species.
- Contributing key species for new populations and restocking of other protected areas in Africa.
- Successfully reintroducing key species to the reserve, such as Lichtenstein’s hartebeest.
- Being custodians of one of the last pure-strain populations of Mozambique tilapia in Africa.
- Contributing to the global understanding of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in semi-arid savanna environments through the publication of 41 peer-reviewed scientific papers.
- Playing an integral role in the training of over 20 new wildlife managers and biologists.
- Practicing sustainability methods to reduce our ecological footprint.
- Supporting and promoting Kambako Living Museum of Bushcraft.
- Providing support to 3 key wildlife protected areas in the region, and involvement in several conservation-based trusts and committees in Zimbabwe.
Community Development
- Providing a nutritious drink (mahewu) to over 20 000 children every school-going day.
- Developing of Khomonani Garden Project, effectively managed by 21 women.
- Providing infrastructural development support to 9 schools and 4 clinics.
- Improving Malilangwe staff healthcare through training, education, medical supplies and logistical support.
- Supporting over 2 940 primary, secondary and tertiary students since 1997 via our Scholarships, Bursaries & Academic Supervision.
- Facilitating donors’ sponsorships of students.
- Engaging 400 children a year in conservation education classes for Grade 6 students, via our Conservation Education Programme.
- Establishing eco-friendly e-Learning Centres.
- Hosting and funding the annual conference of Girl Child Empowerment Trust (GCET).
- Providing life skills, leadership and personal development to young men in the Cadet Ranger Programme.
- Participating in several Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA) initiatives.
- Providing employment for over 300 Zimbabwean staff members.
Our Objectives
Biodiversity Conservation
- To maintain viable populations of flora and fauna using a scientific approach to ecosystem management.
- To restore the historic diversity of animal species.
- To provide a commercial source of wildlife for restocking protected areas in Zimbabwe and other African countries.
- To maintain growing populations of white and black rhinoceros, with surplus animals being used to restock their historic range.
- To conduct all the Trust’s activities in line with best practice sustainability protocols to ensure long-term ecosystem integrity.
- To promote a sustainable future by educating young Zimbabweans on the importance of sound ecosystem management.
- To assist with the development of new ecologists and wildlife managers by providing a venue for training courses and scientific research.
Sustainable Revenue Streams
- To leverage Malilangwe’s natural assets and human capital, and to deliver a profitable and sustainable ecotourism model.
- To explore other revenue opportunities in the renewable energy space, wildlife sales, funding partnerships and other appropriate enterprises.
Community Development
- To continue delivering value to neighbouring communities through effective programmes in conservation, education, health, partnerships all through good governance, and to provide an example to our region in Zimbabwe of genuine interventions with deserving beneficiaries.