Watu, Simba na Mazingira -WASIMA

🌿We’re Hiring: Human Resource Officer WASIMA is seeking a dedicated Human Resource Officer to help shape our team and culture as we grow. Based in western Tanzania, this role supports recruitment, staff wellbeing, and inclusive HR practices that reflect our values of community, collaboration, and conservation. If you're passionate about people, fluent in English and Kiswahili, and ready to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you. 📍 Location: Usevia, Katavi Region 📩 Apply by 4th September 2025 to conservation@wasima.or.tz. 👉 Click the link for more details https://wasima.or.tz/jobs/ Join us in building a future where people and wildlife thrive together. #WASIMA #Hiring #HumanResources #CommunityLedConservation #TanzaniaJobs

🦁 World Lion Day 2025, A Day for Communities, A Roar for the Future This year’s World Lion Day wasn’t just a celebration; it was a powerful testament to what’s possible when communities lead the way in conservation. We were honored to welcome over 1,000 students and teachers from 10 schools across western Tanzania, all part of vibrant wildlife clubs that are shaping the next generation of conservation champions. Their energy, creativity, and pride made the day unforgettable. From storytelling, art and crafts, songs, drama, to sports, the students showcased their talents with passion and purpose. Each performance echoed their love for wildlife and their commitment to protecting it. A heartfelt thank you to Tanzania National Parks through Katavi National Park, Nomad Tanzania, and Great Plains Foundation for your incredible support. Your partnership helped bring this vision to life. We’re also deeply grateful to all our donors, partners, and stakeholders who continue to walk beside us in this journey of community-led conservation. This year’s theme, Community-Led Conservation, couldn’t have been more fitting. From local leaders and educators to park representatives and the youth themselves, everyone played a role. And that’s exactly how conservation thrives: rooted in community, driven by collaboration, and sustained by shared purpose. Thank you to everyone who showed up, spoke up, and stood up for lions. The roar belongs to all of us. #JustpaxFund #GreatPlainsFoundation #lionrecoveryfund #ruffordsmallgrant #insidenatgeo #InternationalTreeFoundation #livingdesertzooandgardens #NomadTrust #brevardzoo #greenvillezoo #katavinp #Ugallanp #tusktrust #Maliasili #WorldLionDay #CommunityLedConservation #YouthForWildlife

🛡️ Empowering Conservation Through Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) Technology From July 28th to August 1st, 2025, we had the pleasure of hosting a transformative SMART training led by the brilliant Daudi Mollel, Program Services Manager at Honeyguide Foundation, with generous support from the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL). Over five dynamic days, our team gained hands-on experience in spatial monitoring, GPS fieldwork, patrol planning, and real-time data analysis, strengthening our effort metrics and elevating our strategic conservation planning. This training wasn’t just about tools; it was about building confidence, collaboration, and a shared vision for protecting what matters most. SMART is a globally recognized platform that empowers conservation teams to turn field data into actionable insights. With mobile technology, mapping, and reporting systems now at our fingertips, our teams are better equipped to safeguard ecosystems and guide adaptive management across sites.  We extend heartfelt gratitude to Daudi Mollel and the EWCL team for investing in our mission. This is more than a training; it’s a leap toward smarter, community-led conservation. #lionrecoveryfund #ruffordsmallgrant #insidenatgeo #InternationalTreeFoundation #livingdesertzooandgardens #NomadTrust #brevardzoo #greenvillezoo #katavinp #Ugallanp #greatplainfoundation #justpaxfund #tusktrust #Maliasili #HoneyguideFoundation #EWCL #ConservationInnovation #DataDrivenImpact #ProtectWhatMatters

🌿 From Skills to Sustainability: Celebrating Vocational Training & Stewardship This July marked a powerful milestone as 46 youth residing near Katavi National Park and Mpimbwe Wildlife Management Area completed vocational training, gaining hands-on experience in ten vital courses, including hairdressing, plumbing, painting, welding, crafts-making, electronic devices maintenance, tailoring, Masonry, poultry, and livestock farming. Led by local mentors, these three-month trainings from 15th April 2025 to 15th July 2025 were more than technical lessons; they were investments in human potential and environmental stewardship. By empowering communities closest to protected areas, we’re fostering both livelihood and responsibility for conservation. 🙏 We extend our deepest gratitude to Justpaxfund, Great Plains Foundation, and all the generous donors, mentors, and partners whose support is making WASIMA's vision a reality. Your commitment speaks volumes: that you believe in grassroots solutions, and that you stand for a future where people and wildlife thrive together. You’ve helped shape protectors, innovators, and changemakers who are prepared to uplift their communities and safeguard the natural heritage around them. This is only the beginning. Your impact will echo through ecosystems and generations to come. Thank you for walking this journey with us and for inspiring hope where it’s needed most. #JustpaxFund #GreatPlainsFoundation #lionrecoveryfund #ruffordsmallgrant #insidenatgeo #InternationalTreeFoundation #livingdesertzooandgardens #NomadTrust #brevardzoo #greenvillezoo #katavinp #Ugallanp #tusktrust #Maliasili #YouthEmpowerment #VocationalTraining #WildlifeConservation

📬 Our Second Quarter Newsletter is out now🌿 From South-Western Tanzania, communities stepped forward as protectors, teachers, and changemakers proving that coexistence isn't just possible, it's powerful. 🔥 Quarter Highlights: 🛡️ 11 lion-proof bomas built, protecting 351 livestock worth $72,151. 📚 563 students engaged, learning conservation through school clubs and park visits. 📻 4 radio sessions aired, reaching 250,000+ listeners with stories of coexistence. 🌳 Agroforestry and bylaws advanced, empowering 4 villages in habitat governance. 👩🎓 130+ youth and women trained, diversifying livelihoods and easing pressure on ecosystems. 🦁 Carnivores monitored in 6 villages, with zero retaliatory killings reported. From radio waves to lion tracks, from pottery to policymaking, each project and activity honors the strength and knowledge of local communities who safeguard nature while improving lives. 🫱🏽🫲🏿 Thank you to our partners, donors, and village champions. Your support helps turn lived experience into lasting change. Read the full newsletter here 👉 https://lnkd.in/d_tBMtYP #lionrecoveryfund #ruffordsmallgrant #insidenatgeo #InternationalTreeFoundation #livingdesertzooandgardens #NomadTrust #brevardzoo #greenvillezoo #katavinp #Ugallanp #greatplainfoundation #justpaxfund #tusktrust #Maliasili #2025Highlights #Growth #Collaboration #Inspiration #Newsletter

Strengthening Conservation from the Frontlines 🐾 This June, we conducted our first educational park trip of 2025 with pastoralist communities residing near Katavi National Park. The visit offered a chance to explore the value of protected areas, deepen understanding of conservation, and build trust between people and wildlife. Following the park trip, we continued the momentum with community outreach sessions, in close collaboration with the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) through Katavi National Park, the community conservation service, and the anti-poaching department. Together, we: 🔍 Raised awareness on environmental and wildlife conservation, including the risks of poaching 🐃 Promoted sustainable livestock practices and the importance of Smart Carnivore Livestock Keeping. 🛠 Identified and introduced TANAPA-supported development projects. 🗺 Discussed the issue of livestock encroachment into protected areas and explored actionable solutions 💬 Engaged in open Q&A with communities to address their challenges and gaps in knowledge. 🤝 Concluded with a shared commitment to conservation built with, not just for, the community. This experience reaffirmed that effective conservation requires active listening, mutual respect, and collaboration. When people are part of the solution, coexistence with wildlife, including iconic species like the lion, becomes possible, sustainable, and powerful. Tanzania National Parks #TANAPA #HumanWildlifeCoexistence #KataviNationalPark #TanzaniaConservation #lionrecoveryfund #ruffordsmallgrant #InternationalTreeFoundation #livingdesertzooandgardens #NomadTrust #brevardzoo #greenvillezoo #katavinp #Ugallanp #greatplainfoundation #justpaxfund #tusktrust #Maliasili #HumanLionCoexistence

🌍 Today is World Environment Day! Lions are a symbol of strength and balance in nature. As top predators, they help maintain the health of ecosystems, keeping prey populations in check and ensuring a stable environment for other species. However, their survival depends on healthy landscapes, protected habitats, and peaceful coexistence with communities. At WASIMA, we work to ensure that people and lions can safely share their environment, protect nature while supporting sustainable livelihoods. On this World Environment Day, let’s take action for lions and the environment: ✅ Protect natural habitats to ensure wildlife can thrive. ✅ Promote peaceful interactions between communities and lions. ✅ Support conservation efforts that help nature and people live in harmony. Every lion lost is a warning that ecosystems are in danger. Let’s honor our planet each day, today and always. 🌎 Together, we can create a future where nature, wildlife, and people live in balance. #lionrecoveryfund #ruffordsmallgrant #insidenatgeo #InternationalTreeFoundation #livingdesertzooandgardens #NomadTrust #brevardzoo #greenvillezoo #katavinp #Ugallanp #greatplainfoundation #justpaxfund #tusktrust #Maliasili #WorldEnvironmentDay #LionConservation #ProtectNature #HumanLionCoexistence #SustainableFuture #TanzaniaWildlife

Empowering Youth, Strengthening Conservation We believe that protecting nature starts with investing in people. We are equipping youth with vocational training skills, giving them the tools they need to create their futures, support their communities, and contribute to sustainable conservation efforts. So far, 50 youth have gained hands-on vocational training in 10 courses, including welding, hairdressing, cooking, color painting, construction, tailoring, art and hand crafting, electronics facilities repair, plumbing, and animal husbandry. What makes this even more impactful? We are using local vocational trainers, mentors who pass on valuable skills and empower themselves through this process. This is an ongoing mission. Our goal is to reach more youth, create more opportunities, and strengthen the connection between sustainable livelihoods and environmental stewardship. 💡 This journey wouldn’t be possible without the support and generosity of those who believe in real impact. Every contribution fuels progress, every effort shapes lives, and together, a better future is built. Justpaxfund #lionrecoveryfund #ruffordsmallgrant #insidenatgeo #InternationalTreeFoundation #livingdesertzooandgardens #NomadTrust #brevardzoo #greenvillezoo #katavinp #Ugallanp #greatplainfoundation #justpaxfund #tusktrust #Maliasili #Growth #Collaboration #Inspiration

🌍 Happy Earth Day! 🦁 🌿 This Earth Day, we're happy to share that one of our Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) Class 10 Project Teams received grant funding from the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Endangered Species Fund, as administered by Brookfield Zoo Chicago. This funding will support the team's efforts to promote community engagement and empowerment for human-lion coexistence through education and technology, in partnership with Watu, Simba na Mazingira -WASIMA, a Tanzanian organization whose Swahili name Watu, Simba na Mazingira means "People, Lions, and the Environment". Such a partnership is a core component of the EWCL program whereby participants work with a local partner on a conservation campaign to gain a real-world hands-on experience. Congratulations to Team WASIMA for being among this year esteemed grantees! More information about this year's CBOT Endangered Species Fund award recipients can be found here: https://shorturl.at/3LoXu More information about our project team partnership with WASIMA can be found here: https://shorturl.at/rEZOB