Empowers Africa Announces 2013 Grant Recipients

Empowers Africa, a non-profit foundation based in the United States that supports programs on the ground in Sub Sahara Africa, is pleased to announce its 2013 grant recipients. The foundation made grants to 13 non-profit organizations for programs that support education, healthcare and wildlife protection.

Empowers Africa was founded in 2013 by 17 trustees and an advisory committee, including, Krista Krieger, the former chair of the Africa Foundation (USA). “We are a group of women who are supporting programs that focus on human empowerment, land conservation and wildlife protection,” says Krieger. “We look for programs run by well-organized, successful organizations and research each project to make sure it is measurable, sustainable and has the endorsement of the local communities and governments.”

The 2013 Empowers Africa grant recipients are:

• Wildlife Conservation Society, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
• Africa Parks, Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi
• Peace Parks Foundation/SA College for Tourism, Graaf-Reinet, South Africa
• Big Life Foundation, Amboseli-Tsavo, Kenya
• Africa Foundation, Mpumalanga & KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
• Wilderness Wildlife Trust, Liwonde National Park, Malawi
• Singita Community Development Trust/Malilangwe Conservation Trust, Malilangwe Reserve, Zimbabwe
• MadRod Academy, Lamu, Kenya
• Good Work Foundation, Sabi Sands, Mpumalanga, South Africa
• The Imibala Trust, Somerset West, Cape Town, South Africa
• Ikamva Labantu, Cape Town, South Africa
• Utah Community Garden Project, Sabi Sands, Mpumalanga, South Africa
• Lalela Project, Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa

“After consideration by the trustees, Empowers Africa grants are announced each April,” Krieger says. In addition to Krieger, the organization’s trustees include Donna Corbat, Zita de Zagon, Flo Fulton, Lisa Christiansen Gentil, Patricia Glass, Catherine Howell, Michele Gradin, Nina Griscom, Aisha Haque, Mary Judelson, Elizabeth K. Kelly, Jenny Kennedy, Suzanne Leydecker, Lyn Pedersen, Frances Schultz and Nicci Young Wiese. Beth Rudin DeWoody, Carrie Mackin and Gabriella Gentil comprise the Empowers Africa’s Advisory Committee.

About Empowers Africa

Begun in 2013, Empowers Africa focuses on funding programs in communities that surround protected conservation and wildlife areas or World Heritage sites; programs in urban communities where tourism is a strong source of development; and programs that support the protection of wildlife and land conservation. Visit the organization’s new website at www.empowersafrica.org or follow it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+.