New Nature Foundation*
*Indicates previously supported initiative
The New Nature Foundation (NNF) strives to conserve wild animals and wild places through education, empowerment, and an emphasis on creative solutions that promote people living in harmony with nature. The NNF focuses on outreach education, stove building, eco-briquettes, and tree planting.
The NNF education campaign empowers citizens by creating recreational opportunities that improve the people-park relationship, benefiting future generations of animals and humans alike. Campaigns include five community Science Centers, training workshops, conservation competitions, and nature walks. Wood and charcoal provide more than 90% of the energy used for cooking in Uganda. Using efficient stoves brings dramatic improvements for communities near Kibale National Park, Uganda — saving firewood, producing less smoke, and modernizing rural kitchens. NNF staff produce two types of eco-briquettes, using farm and industrial waste as replacements for firewood or charcoal. Planting trees is a tangible conservation effort that helps to combat climate change, prevent soil erosion, and clean the air.
Reprinted with permission.
“COVID-19 threw up some immense hurdles and many hard challenges, but it also created opportunities. For example, the community was desperate for vaccinations, so we vaccinated 1,950 people. Schools were closed throughout Uganda for almost 2 years, and young people needed engaging activities.
Nurse Denis created the Village Environmental Health Challenge. Youth from eleven villages were given the challenge of improving the environmental health of their village and a hotly contested village to village competition arose. The challenge was taken up with great interest and trash bins were made for town centers, public outhouses were dug, wells were improved, etc. A team of eight community leaders assessed each village before and after the competition and the young people from first place village and the runner up were given the prizes requested.
Our clinics will continue our efforts of providing critically needed medical care, deworming, AIDS treatment and counseling, and vaccinations (including COVID-19 vaccinations) to remote communities around Kibale.
To the crowds that gather, we will give talks on health and conservation and listen to people air their grievances concerning the park while seeking solutions with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Each year before Covid, we provided medical treatment to 16,000 people and outreach to about 200,000.
We also want to add a program for young teenage mothers. Unfortunately, during Covid there was a huge upswing in teenage pregnancies. Now young mothers as young as 13 are struggling to figure out how to care for their new babies. We want to run events for the young mothers to help them cope and learn about childcare and nutrition.”
— Dr. Colin Chapman, NNF Advisor, Killam Fellow of the Royal Society, Conservation Fellow of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Velan Humanitarian Award winner
