Thirza Loffeld (She/Her)

I am excited to have joined the Wild Hub platform as it provides a platform for me to engage with like-minded individuals who are passionate about environmental conservation. As a final year student at African Leadership University, majoring in Global Challenges with a focus on environmental conservation, I am committed to ensuring the protection of endangered plant species and the promotion of sustainable conservation practices. My interest in environmental conservation has led me to work on various research projects, including assessing the impacts of exotic plant species on the ecology of one of the National Parks in Rwanda. Through this project, I was able to gain insights into the complexities involved in managing invasive species and the need for a sustainable approach to conservation. I also had the privilege of working on pre-impact assessments for the expansion of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This experience allowed me to understand the importance of incorporating the perspectives of local communities in conservation initiatives. Recently, I worked on a project with the Capitals Coalition on sustainable and impact analysis, where I was involved in a case study. This experience enabled me to develop a deeper understanding of the need to integrate economic, social, and environmental considerations in conservation efforts. Additionally, I had the opportunity to work with the National Geographic Society and he Nature Conservancy on a freshwater and community conservation externship. This experience allowed me to gain valuable insights into the complexities of freshwater management and the importance of engaging with local communities in conservation efforts.

My name is Athumani Zuberi. I am 28 years old. I live in Arusha, Tanzania. My lifelong purpose is to contribute to the Global Effort of Building a Better World for the Coming Generations. I am the Founder and President of Mt. Kilimanjaro Life Foundation and Tanzania Wildlife Society    I looked around in my community and saw people having enormous difficulties to contribute to the development of themselves, their families, and their country. I had a wake up call when I realized that more than 3 billion people on our planet live in poverty which prompted me to found Mt. Kilimanjaro Life Foundation    The social mission of Mt KLF is to teach the community higher consciousness entrepreneurs and leadership skills. As Einstein said: “We cannot solve our current problems from the same consciousness that created them.” To begin, we need a shift in the way we think. The world is nothing but a reflection of our mindsets. Before the outer change can come we need an inner transformation.    This new insight completely changed the way I approached my life goal. We cannot make a lasting contribution feeding the poor by hunting for money in a system where money is purposely created in scarcity by a ruling elite. We need to redevelop the system.    Next I asked myself: "What is the system?" Then I realized that WE are the system. So if we change, the world will change. I had never been that excited. I will now dedicate the rest of my life to awaken the people to the power we have inside. It is time to unite and learn! . . .  ! or maybe I should say unlearn!    My vision is a world that works for ALL people!  Through community economic development projects such as Mt. Kilimanjaro Living Classroom, skill training, mentor-mentee matching, entrepreneurship development, and private public partnership programs help to empower women leadership and youth job opportunities as well as improve social infrastructure within each village, communities, and then subsequently towns and cities. This is how we may uplift each other one person, one village, one community at a time!

I am a conservationist based in Nepal. I did my MSc in Conservation and International Wildlife Trade from DICE-Kent. I am currently working to understand the trade dynamics of some of the most traded medicinal plants like orchids and yews. I am interested in understanding how socioeconomic and behavioral factors interact and impact the wildlife trade (incl. the online trade spectrum and various stakeholders in it) and using this knowledge in designing effective conservation actions. 

Victor Ayegba Mathew is a community development and environmental educator with more than 7 years of experience in promoting eco-friendly solutions and creating programs for environmental learning across schools in Nigeria.  He is the founder of Vikipedia (A regerative hub for young minds) and has supported and volunteered for countless organisations related to water, environment, and nature education. He encourages sustainable interaction with the environment through proper waste management demonstrations and activities that educate community members. Victor has been actively involved with environmental firms in his country in both paid and volunteer roles. He volunteered as an assistant data collector for Greenfaith during the 2021 FaithsforClimate Justice, with EarthCharter as a course co-facilitator, and organized campus FaithsforClimate justice under Greenfaith. Victor also partnered with the Swarovski WaterSchool Project (EarthChild International) to promote WASH projects across schools in Nigeria. Currently, he teaches at Sahel Academy Kano state, Nigeria as an Environmental Educator and a fellow with the Foundation For Environmental Education GAIA Fellowship. Victor has a degree in Environmental Science, and a Post Graduate diploma in disaster and risk management. He has completed a program with the University for Peace on Systems Thinking and Regenerative Leadership, and a Leadership, Sustainability, and Ethics course with EarthCharter. He was recently recognized as a Climate Champion with the Climate Leadership Fellowship (Climate Smart Nigeria) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Network (Nigeria). He's also one of the young persons trained and certified by former United States Vice President Al Gore as a Climate Reality Leader.   Driven by the desire for an environmental sustainability-conscious and eco-literate world with individuals and institutions as its frontrunners, Victor is always looking to boost his skills in project design and systems thinking, behavioral change processes, community and educational engagement, corporate social responsibility/investment, social leadership, and people management to amplify the work he’s already doing in the environmental space locally and globally.

I am currently an MSc student studying Conservation Project Management at the University of Kent (DICE). My main areas of interest are primates, leadership and community development. 

Conservation scientist fascinating by all things nature. I have a particular interest in a multidisciplinary data science / machine learning approach to conservation.

Kate joined the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP), based at Fauna & Flora International (FFI), in February 2020. She has worked in a variety of science communication roles, and has a BSc in Zoology and Psychology, an MSc in Animal Behaviour, and a PhD in Zoology. Kate has had a lifelong interest in ecological research and wildlife conservation, and has studied a variety of species in the field, including Atlantic puffins in the UK, Horsfield’s hawk cuckoos in Japan, and Aegean wall lizards in Greece.

I work for Lancashire Wildlife Trust as a Communications and Engagement Trainee along the Kingfisher Trail in Bolton. I recently changed career from an Environmental Consultant in agriculture and thoroughly enjoying my first four months. I have project management experience from a consultancy role but never received formal training and love that this course is focussed on conservation projects. 

I am a passionate conservationist and research biologist with over 20 years of experience working in Southern Africa. Here I have spent time researching the insects of the Namib through to the hippos, lions and elephants of Botswana. These experiences have given me a solid understanding of the challenges of field research, large mammal conservation, the complexities of resource competition and the importance of stakeholder relationships. My research interests focus on the social and ecological requirements of mammals in the context of a human landscape as we seek long-term conservation solutions. I have been pursuing this through active research on the African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana), previous work on African lions (Panthera leo), Samango monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis labiatus), hippopotami (Hippopotamus amphibious) and meerkats (Suricatta suricatta). Recent trends and my own personal observations have highlighted the importance of individuals and social ecology in the long-term conservation of mammals. I believe having a holistic approach to conservation, understanding the social and ecological needs of both wildlife and humans living alongside, we will move towards human-wildlife coexistence and effective long-term conservation measures. I independently created and founded both my Masters and PhD studies and then founded the Charity and NGO Elephants for Africa; thus have expensive experience in project management, fundraising, communications and budgeting. My work has received international recognition personally and through Elephants for Africa for our research (Georg B Rabb Conservation Award) and education (Silver Medal Global Good Awards) programmes. I am a Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre member and a member of the KAZA elephant sub-working group and the Elephant Specialist Advisory Group.    

Hello, my name is Sakib Imran Ali, and I am from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Recently, I completed my MSc. in Conservation and Land Management from Bangor University, in the UK with a BSc. in Environmental Management from Independent University, Bangladesh.  I had passion to work on wildlife, while I was a Conservation student in Bangor. My area of expertise are research work based on social issues. My interests are writing stories, photography and hiking (someday, I will climb the mount Everest). I would WildHub will help me to fulfill all the requirements