Maliasili Initiatives Inc.

Africa is home to some of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife and iconic landscapes - from the great herds of antelope, zebra, giraffe and elephant that still roam across its grasslands, to tropical forests and the coral reefs of the Indian Ocean.

It is also home to a remarkable juxtaposition of unique traditional cultures and rapidly urbanizing, technologically sophisticated societies full of a new generation of African entrepreneurs. Conservation efforts in Africa today face urgent pressures, as rapidly growing and economically developing nations put increasing pressure on nature, even as peoples’ livelihoods remain closely connected to the way land and natural resources are used and managed. 

Maliasili was founded eight years ago based on the belief that the best solutions to Africa’s conservation challenges are homegrown, and that by helping entrepreneurial African conservation organizations become stronger, more effective, and more sustainable, we can help them accelerate their impact.  

We support a growing portfolio of the most innovative, effective, and influential local and national African conservation organizations. We help these groups build the kinds of professionally managed organizations that can put their good ideas into practice and achieve greater impact. We help them develop focused strategies, communicate their ideas, raise money, build effective boards and management systems, and become stronger leaders within their communities and their countries.  

Through this unique approach and partnership model, we are helping many of Africa’s most talented local conservation groups to grow their reach and deliver on their ambitions.

Our partners are leading development of some of the most important conservation efforts across the region, in ways that benefit local communities and help them to protect the natural landscapes and resources that their livelihoods depend on. Maliasili exists because we believe that supporting local African organizations offers the highest return on investment in African conservation, and our role is to find outstanding organizations and to help them grow and become stronger. 

Maliasili now works with 16 leading African organizations in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Namibia, and plans to add a total of 15 new organizations to its portfolio over the next three years.

View our Portfolio.