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Career Program

INVESTING IN LOCAL CONSERVATIONISTS

Wildlife conservation thrives globally when its seeds are rooted locally.

Thriving Conservation Careers

Wildlife conservation can best succeed in the long-term if it is led and upheld by conservationists from and dedicated to the landscape they work in and who engage closely with and empower their local communities. These conservationists can have the greatest and most sustainable impact for wildlife because of their awareness and respect for both natural resources and local cultures. Unfortunately, the value of these conservationists has long been overlooked, leading to an underrepresentation of Indigenous knowledge, people of color, and female voices in conservation.

Established in 2021, WCN’s Career Program supports the career growth of conservationists native to the region they work in by providing them with the necessary resources to succeed—multi-year flexible financial support, tailored access to training opportunities, facilitated peer learning, and mentorship. By removing institutional barriers to long-term employment local conservationists will be better equipped to thrive in their careers.

WCN hopes to expand this program globally in the coming years, but it is currently focused on support for conservationists from Africa. If you are an African conservationist that would like to learn more or get involved in the Career Program please email career-program@wildnet.org.

If you also believe local conservationists need support to thrive in their careers, please consider supporting WCN’s Career Program.

Support This program

Meet the 2023 Career Program Recipients

Anita Grant

African Golden Cat

Anita Grant

Anita Grant is a conservationist with a bachelor’s degree in Biology with emphasis in Environmental science from the University of Liberia. Following her graduation in 2018, Anita took upon the responsibility on herself to engage in conservation work by taking on a volunteer experience at the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF), she is now the field supervisor in charge of community awareness and data collection. Additionally, Anita is the 26th and most recent partner of the African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance and Working Group (AGCCA & WG) where she is working to reduce poaching of the African Golden Cat in the protected areas of Liberia. She aspires to establish a community based conservation Organization (CBO) during her time with the career program and aims to inspire other girls and women in Liberia to take up a conservation career.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: African Golden Cat
Country: Liberia

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita

Gorilla & Bonobo

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita is a co-founder and president of the Congo Biotropical Institute in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Kinshasa. He is a French speaking primatologist researcher, specializing in great apes and community conservation and management of natural resources and forestry. During his time with the career program, his goals are to become fluent in English, reconcile scientific and indigenous knowledge of conservation in DRC, and establish well mapped community conservancies. He also has plans to actively support young people encouraging their interest in conservation as well as assist them to get scholarships in the conservation field.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Gorilla & Bonobo
Country: DR Congo

Dessiew Gelaw

Ethiopian Wolf

Dessiew Gelaw

Dessiew Gelaw is a Wolf Monitor for the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Environmental studies from Wollo University. During his childhood, he saw wildlife negatively as they created problems for shepherds like himself. Later on, while at school, he learned about the importance of wildlife in biology classes. From then on his attitude and interest to wildlife totally changed. During his time with the career program, Dessiew hopes to influence policy and facilitate the implementation of wildlife technology in the field, to be an effective communicator with the authorities, and to help the locals benefit from the wildlife they live with. He aims to play an active leadership role and build capacity in the community and to work with communities through environmental awareness activities. 

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Ethiopian Wolf
Country of origin : Ethiopia

Saziso Moyo

Grey Crowned Crane

Saziso Moyo

Saziso Moyo is a project assistant for the International Crane Foundation. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from The Copperbelt University. Her interest in conservation grew when the environmental club she was part of in high school went for a visit at a National Park and she saw a Lion and Elephant for the first time. On her journey with the career program, her goals are to gain professional knowledge on ecological monitoring, to work with communities through environmental awareness activities, and obtain a Master’s Degree in Tropical Ecology and Biodiversity.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Grey Crowned Crane
Country of Origin: Zambia

Sharnay Wagner

African Penguin

Sharnay Wagner

Sharnay Wagner is an Environmental Education Supervisor at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANNCOB). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Stellenbosch University with Bioidiversity and Ecology as her majors. Her goals with the career program are to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Education which she started last year, to broaden her reach to under resourced areas around the mainland African Penguin colony in South Africa, to play an active leadership role and build capacity in the environmental education and conservation community, and to start a mobile environmental education program that works alongside the government to host interactive lessons at schools that have limited resources

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: African Penguin
Country of Origin: South African

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo

Lion

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo is a Projects Director at Wildlife Conservation Action and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in International Conservation Practice from Oxford University and Bachelor of Science in Animal and Wildlife Sciences from Midland State University. His goals with the career program are to work with communities and develop measures that address human carnivore conflict while tapping into indigenous knowledge systems that contribute to community development and sustainable wildlife use, to implement a community camera trapping program, and contribute to building and attaching a positive value to carnivores.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Lion
Country of Origin: Zimbabwe

Anita Grant

Anita Grant

Anita Grant is a conservationist with a bachelor’s degree in Biology with emphasis in Environmental science from the University of Liberia. Following her graduation in 2018, Anita took upon the...

Find out more

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita is a co-founder and president of the Congo Biotropical Institute in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the...

Find out more

Dessiew Gelaw

Dessiew Gelaw

Dessiew Gelaw is a Wolf Monitor for the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Environmental studies from Wollo University. During his childhood, he saw...

Find out more

Saziso Moyo

Saziso Moyo

Saziso Moyo is a project assistant for the International Crane Foundation. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from The Copperbelt University. Her interest in conservation grew when the environmental...

Find out more

Sharnay Wagner

Sharnay Wagner

Sharnay Wagner is an Environmental Education Supervisor at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANNCOB). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Stellenbosch University with...

Find out more

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo is a Projects Director at Wildlife Conservation Action and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in International Conservation Practice from Oxford University and Bachelor of Science in Animal...

Find out more

Anita Grant

Anita Grant is a conservationist with a bachelor’s degree in Biology with emphasis in Environmental science from the University of Liberia. Following her graduation in 2018, Anita took upon the responsibility on herself to engage in conservation work by taking on a volunteer experience at the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF), she is now the field supervisor in charge of community awareness and data collection. Additionally, Anita is the 26th and most recent partner of the African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance and Working Group (AGCCA & WG) where she is working to reduce poaching of the African Golden Cat in the protected areas of Liberia. She aspires to establish a community based conservation Organization (CBO) during her time with the career program and aims to inspire other girls and women in Liberia to take up a conservation career.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: African Golden Cat
Country: Liberia

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita

Dalley-Divin Saa-Sita is a co-founder and president of the Congo Biotropical Institute in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Kinshasa. He is a French speaking primatologist researcher, specializing in great apes and community conservation and management of natural resources and forestry. During his time with the career program, his goals are to become fluent in English, reconcile scientific and indigenous knowledge of conservation in DRC, and establish well mapped community conservancies. He also has plans to actively support young people encouraging their interest in conservation as well as assist them to get scholarships in the conservation field.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Gorilla & Bonobo
Country: DR Congo

Dessiew Gelaw

Dessiew Gelaw is a Wolf Monitor for the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Environmental studies from Wollo University. During his childhood, he saw wildlife negatively as they created problems for shepherds like himself. Later on, while at school, he learned about the importance of wildlife in biology classes. From then on his attitude and interest to wildlife totally changed. During his time with the career program, Dessiew hopes to influence policy and facilitate the implementation of wildlife technology in the field, to be an effective communicator with the authorities, and to help the locals benefit from the wildlife they live with. He aims to play an active leadership role and build capacity in the community and to work with communities through environmental awareness activities. 

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Ethiopian Wolf
Country of origin : Ethiopia

Saziso Moyo

Saziso Moyo is a project assistant for the International Crane Foundation. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from The Copperbelt University. Her interest in conservation grew when the environmental club she was part of in high school went for a visit at a National Park and she saw a Lion and Elephant for the first time. On her journey with the career program, her goals are to gain professional knowledge on ecological monitoring, to work with communities through environmental awareness activities, and obtain a Master’s Degree in Tropical Ecology and Biodiversity.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Grey Crowned Crane
Country of Origin: Zambia

Sharnay Wagner

Sharnay Wagner is an Environmental Education Supervisor at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANNCOB). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Stellenbosch University with Bioidiversity and Ecology as her majors. Her goals with the career program are to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Education which she started last year, to broaden her reach to under resourced areas around the mainland African Penguin colony in South Africa, to play an active leadership role and build capacity in the environmental education and conservation community, and to start a mobile environmental education program that works alongside the government to host interactive lessons at schools that have limited resources

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: African Penguin
Country of Origin: South African

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo

Simbarashe Pride Chatikobo is a Projects Director at Wildlife Conservation Action and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in International Conservation Practice from Oxford University and Bachelor of Science in Animal and Wildlife Sciences from Midland State University. His goals with the career program are to work with communities and develop measures that address human carnivore conflict while tapping into indigenous knowledge systems that contribute to community development and sustainable wildlife use, to implement a community camera trapping program, and contribute to building and attaching a positive value to carnivores.

Career Program: 2023-25
Species of interest: Lion
Country of Origin: Zimbabwe

Bridget Mayani, Career Program
As a child, I loved to watch wildlife documentaries and read books about nature, but I did not know conservation careers were possible in Zambia. There was a lack of role models to relate to, no local mentors, and there was little information on conservation careers in my home country. This will provide a unique opportunity for me to advance in my career and help put my country on map in the field of conservation.
Bridget Mayani

WCN's Past Career Program Recipients

2022 Career Program Recipients

Aristide Takoukam Kamla
Career Program: 2022-24
Species of interest: African Manatee
Country: Cameroon

Bridget Mayani
Career Program: 2022-24
Species of interest: Lions
Country: Zambia

Cecile Kayitanirwa
Career Program: 2022-24
Species of interest: Grey Crowned Cranes
Country of origin : Rwanda

Dominique Gonçalves
Career Program: 2022-24
Species of interest: African Elephant
Country of Origin: Mozambique

James Watuwa
Career Program: 2022-24
Species of interest: African Elephant and Leptopelis karissimbensis (Frog)
Country of Origin: Uganda

Jessicah Kurere
Career Program: 2022-24
Species of interest: Lions, Hyenas and Wild Dogs
Country of Origin: Kenya

 

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