OUR PROJECTS
ROOM TO ROAM
A visionary approach to conservation in Africa (IFAW)
Background & Vision
Room to Roam is the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW) flagship conservation initiative, created to help secure a future where Africa’s savannah elephants and the communities that share their landscapes can thrive together. Built on more than two decades of science and field experience, IFAW’s Room to Roam focuses on reconnecting habitats, protecting wildlife, and supporting people living alongside animals across East and southern Africa.
As human populations grow and natural habitats become more fragmented, elephants face increasing challenges as they move in search of food, water, and mates. IFAW’s Room to Roam helps protect the critical pathways elephants and other wildlife need to move safely, while also supporting local communities through conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and coexistence efforts.
At the heart of the initiative are strong partnerships with governments, local communities, Indigenous and traditional leaders, conservation organizations, and other stakeholders. Together with their partners, IFAW is creating long-term solutions that strengthen ecosystems, lift up communities, and protect wildlife.
Through Room to Roam, IFAW is advancing its broader mission to create a world where animals and people thrive together through conservation and animal rescue.
The Impact on Wildlife Association is proud to support this initiative and has joined other partners by providing $60,000 in funding over the past three years.
$60,000
funded
across two programs covering $25,000 in 2024, $20,000 in 2025, and $15,000 in 2026.
Goals of the Initiative
"Room to Roam" by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is an ambitious conservation initiative aimed at protecting Africa's savannah elephants and the ecosystems they inhabit. The project emphasizes the importance of connectivity between habitats to ensure the free movement of wildlife, enhancing biodiversity and resilience against climate change. It integrates local communities, traditional leaders, governments, and NGOs in a collaborative effort to secure critical landscapes and foster coexistence between humans and wildlife.
The initiative is underpinned by over 20 years of scientific research and community engagement, focusing on securing and linking habitats across East and Southern Africa. The connectivity ensures that elephants and other species can thrive in their natural environments, which in turn supports overall ecosystem health and resilience to climatic variations.
Elephants play a significant role as ecosystem engineers, whose activities contribute to maintaining healthy savannahs and mitigating climate change through natural carbon sequestration.
Africa's wildlife faces a variety of threats, such as habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, poaching, and climate change. Strategic actions can be made including community-led conservation, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and empowering women. The goal is to create a sustainable model where both wildlife and human communities can prosper, ensuring the long-term survival of elephants and the broader ecological balance.
VIDEO
Room to Roam: Enabling People and Wildlife to Co-Exist
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