AWHF’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS AWARDS 5 CONSERVATION GRANTS AND 2 MOSES MAPESA GRANTS

The AWHF is delighted to announce that the Board of Trustees awarded conservation grants to 5 World Heritage projects in respectively Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Nigeria. These conservation projects where succesfully implemented in 2021-2022. In addition, Ms. Amenan Sylvie Konan and Mr. Prosper Bombula Mosali received the Moses Mapesa grant for their research in respectively the Comoé National Park in Ivory Coast and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in DRC. This is another step forward to protect and conserve our cultural and natural heritage in Africa.

The AWHF provides Conservation Grants to African State Parties to implement projects and activities which focus on improving the sustainability and state of conservation of World Heritage properties. “These grants are essential to support African State Parties in their effort to implement the World Heritage Convention. To date, the AWHF has already disbursed more than US$ 3,500,000 to support various projects to inscribe new sites on the World Heritage List and to improve the conservation of African sites, ” says Souayibou Varissou, Executive Director of AWHF.

As part of the AWHF contribution to enhance conservation and management of World Heritage properties, the AWHF also supports young heritage professionals undertaking Master’s and Doctoral research in the field of natural and cultural heritage in Africa through the Moses Mapesa Research Fund.

Grant recipients are selected via an application process where their applications are evaluated by an evaluation panel composed of experts and partners. The Board of Trustees then approves and awards the final list of Grantees for the financial year. “The Fund will continue to raise and make available resources for an improved implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Africa,” states Ms Veronica Maduna, AWHF Head of Partnerships.

The below projects, are the successful 2021 to 2022 beneficiaries.  

Conservation Grants

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) were supported with the implementation of project activities to Enhance Mountain Gorilla conservation in Southern sector of Bwindi impenetrable National Park.

The National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe used the grant for the development of the Khami World Heritage Site management plan and buffer zone.

The National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria used the grant to support the State Party’s efforts to develop Conservation of Sculptural Components of Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove World Heritage Site.

Moses Mapesa Grants

Ms. Amenan Sylvie Konan acquired new ecological knowledge to understand the dynamics of the savannas of the Comoé National Park (PNC) in the face of climate change and developed a biodiversity conservation strategy.