The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is the government agency responsible for managing Rwanda’s national parks and protected areas. Its mission is to transform and develop Rwanda’s economy by enabling its private-sector growth. African Parks began its work with the RDB in Akagera National Park in 2010 and in Nyungwe National Park in 2020. In both agreements we recognise RDB CEO, Ms Clare Akamanzi, for her unwavering support of Akagera and Nyungwe.
The Wyss Foundation is a private charitable organisation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities and strengthen connections to the land. The Foundation’s relationship with African Parks began in 2015 with a grant to support the restoration of Akagera National Park, followed by a significant investment in Malawi’s Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. In 2017, the Foundation made a groundbreaking commitment of US$65m to provide ongoing support for Akagera and the Malawi parks, along with startup funding for five new parks. This enabled the addition of Pendjari and W in Benin, Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in Mozambique, Iona National Park in Angola and Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. In 2021, the Foundation furthered its support of African Parks with another extraordinary commitment of US$108 million, which will provide for the continued support of current Wyss-funded parks, as well as startup funding for another five new parks. Two new parks in our portfolio – Kafue National Park in Zambia and Badingilo National Park in South Sudan – are benefitting from the Wyss Foundation’s latest commitment.
The Rob Walton Foundation (RWF) – the RWF supports initiatives that advance its founder’s passion for environmental conservation and creative coalition
building. Rob Walton has been an invaluable partner to African Parks since 2003, providing support to safeguard the long-term survival of parks and wildlife across the continent. In 2021, operating as the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation, the RWF made a transformational US$100m 5-year commitment, the largest endowment gift in African Parks’ history. Portions of the Foundation’s annual contributions have supported the reintroduction of species such as lion and black rhino to Akagera National Park, as well as sparked matching grants to Iona and Odzala-Kokoua, in conjunction with the Legacy Landscapes Fund.
The Howard G. Buffett Foundation – the Foundation views its resources as rare risk capital that can improve conditions and create change in the most difficult circumstances and geographies. Since 2014, the Foundation has supported a range of habitat and animal conservation projects, as well as operational and security improvements, at Rwanda’s Akagera National Park. The Foundation also contributed to security and operations at Garamba National Park in support of its anti-poaching efforts and, in 2020, donated all proceeds from the sale of its Ukulima Farm in South Africa to African Parks’ ongoing operations. In 2021, the Foundation was the lead supporter of the historic translocation of 30 white rhino to Akagera National Park.
