Top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders’ Award: Amplifying Exceptional African Youth

News Advisory /// One hundred under-35 conservationists will be the recipients of the first-ever Top 100 Youth Conservation Award in 2021. The award is a collaboration between the Africa Alliance of the YMCA, World Scouts Movement, African Wildlife Foundation, and WWF.

Youth networks and conservation organizations are therefore invited to nominate young African leaders under the age of 35 who have been actively involved over the last three years in impactful conservation work at community, national, or international levels in Africa. The nomination deadline is on January 15, 2021, with the publication of the list expected to be released within the first quarter of 2021.

In addition to being recognized in the first-ever publication of its kind, the shortlisted Top 100 young  African conservation leaders will be the beneficiaries of a bespoke one-year leadership development program that will mentor and train a cadre of youth professionals to contribute to Africa’s Agenda 2063. The goal is to equip the young leaders with systems thinking and practical skills that will enable them to move from intention to action and scale-up their initiatives.

More information on the eligibility criteria and the nomination form can be found here.

About Africa Alliance of YMCAs

The Africa Alliance of YMCAs (www.africaymca.org) is the umbrella body of YMCA National Movements in Africa.  Together with our member YMCAs in 20 countries in Africa, we work to empower young African men and women with voice space and ability to influence the holistic transformation of their communities, nation and the continent.

About African Wildlife Foundation

The African Wildlife Foundation is the primary advocate for the protection of wildlife and wild lands as an essential part of a modern and prosperous Africa. Founded in 1961 to focus on Africa’s conservation needs, we articulate a uniquely African vision, bridge science and public policy, and demonstrate the benefits of conservation to ensure the survival of the continent’s wildlife and wild lands.

About World Organization of the Scout Movement

Scouting is the world’s leading educational youth movement engaging 54 million young people, adult leaders and volunteers in 224 countries and territories worldwide. As a growing Movement, Scouting is deeply embedded in local communities, responding to the diverse needs and aspirations of young people. Since its founding in 1907, Scouting has engaged young people in transformative education, training and learning opportunities. Scouting offers young people a unique non-formal educational experience that directly contributes to their growth and development. Find out more on scout.org.

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries and territories. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Visit https://africa.panda.org/ for the latest news about WWF in Africa and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.