Commonland and Maliasili have joined forces to launch the Leaders Lab KAZA, a bold three-year leadership programme bringing together 21 conservation and restoration leaders from across southern Africa to drive transformative change. Kicking off in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in November 2024, this collaborative learning journey will empower local leaders to restore ecosystems, build resilient communities, and foster collaboration to advance landscape restoration efforts in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA).
Actionable Leadership to Tackle KAZA’s Unique Challenges
The Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) is home to some of Africa’s most breathtaking landscapes, rich biodiversity, and vibrant communities. Yet, it faces urgent and interconnected challenges: climate change is accelerating biodiversity loss and land degradation; human-wildlife conflict threatens harmonious coexistence; and systemic barriers – like incoherent governmental policies and funding challenges – hinder effective collaboration among stakeholders working to protect and restore these vital ecosystems.
To overcome these challenges, visionary and actionable leadership is essential—leadership that unites diverse voices, fosters innovative solutions, and catalyses systemic change for people, nature, and climate. Leaders Lab KAZA was born out of this need, equipping local leaders and organisations with the tools, networks, and vision to secure a sustainable future for the region.
Leaders Lab KAZA: Connecting Conservation Leaders Across Southern Africa
In November 2024, 21 leaders from 12 conservation organisations across Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe came together in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, for the programme’s first workshops. Over the course of a week, participants explored self-leadership, systems thinking, and practical strategies and tools to guide transformative action in their landscapes.
Get a sense of the energy from last November’s live week:
This launch set the foundation for a three-year journey that will unlock leadership potential, strengthen a regional network, and empower leaders to overcome barriers to conservation and restoration. After this first INITIATE phase, the programme will continue in 2025 and beyond with the two final phases DISCOVER and ACT:
- INITIATE: Building leadership capacity and trust among leaders.
- DISCOVER: Understanding barriers to conservation and restoration and identify collective solutions.
- ACT: Designing and prototyping practical ideas to drive meaningful impact.
“This week, more than 20 conservation and restoration leaders have come together to reflect on their journey through the ‘Leading Self’ module and to learn from one another in an environment of trust, care, and openness. The energy, engagement, and connections being built here are inspiring, and it is clear that this is just the beginning of our collective journey. We are honoured to witness the growth and collaboration that will undoubtedly shape the future of conservation leadership in Africa,”
– Ingelore Katjingisiua, landscape developer at Commonland
About the Partnership Between Commonland and Maliasili
The Leaders Lab KAZA is a testament to the shared vision of Commonland and Maliasili: to empower local conservation and restoration leaders to create lasting, positive change for people, nature, and climate. Together, these organisations bring decades of expertise in leadership and organisational development and holistic landscape restoration to the table.
The programme integrates Maliasili’s expertise in leadership and organisational development with Commonland’s holistic approach to landscape restoration, the ‘4 Returns Framework’, and Theory U, to strengthen collaboration and drive systemic change. The Leaders Lab KAZA is the start of a new partnership between Maliasili and Commonland, and draws on the expertise of five African Conservation Leadership Network (ACLN) cohorts supported by Maliasili and The Nature Conservancy since 2016.