Women at the Heart of Conservation: Celebrating Impact This International Women’s Month
- Marion Lesrima
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 8
This International Women’s Month, we are celebrating women who are not just part of the story, but are leading it.
At the David Rio Foundation, our partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) continues to show us what is possible when women are given space to lead, protect, and thrive. Their work across Kenya is a powerful reminder that conservation and community go hand in hand.
In the Osotua Esiteti Women’s Group, togetherness is more than a word. It is a way of life. 179 women, supporting over 1,200 people, are building stronger futures through income-generating work that helps provide food, education, and healthcare in a challenging environment. Through IFAW, we are proud to support their efforts, including commissioning bracelets that directly contribute to their livelihoods .
In Amboseli, IFAW is breaking barriers through Team Lioness, an all-women ranger unit that is changing what leadership in conservation looks like. These women are protecting wildlife, preventing conflict, and standing on the frontlines of conservation with courage and deep knowledge of their land. They are also mentors, educators, and role models for young girls who now see new possibilities for themselves .
We are proud to stand alongside IFAW in supporting this work, including contributing to a ranger station in the Amboseli conservancy that supports teams on the ground, including women rangers. It is one way of backing a bigger vision. One where conservation is inclusive, community-led, and driven by the people who know it best.
What we see in all of this is simple. When women rise, communities grow stronger. Conservation becomes more sustainable. And the future looks different.
This month may be coming to an end, but the impact of these women continues every single day.
To all the women around the world, in every community, in every role, pushing forward in ways big and small Tuko Pamoja. We are in this together.
