OUR PROJECTS
ROOM TO ROAM
A visionary approach to conservation in Africa (IFAW)
Background & Vision​
Room to Roam is an ambitious and urgent vision for Africa’s surviving savannah elephants and the human communities with which they share the land and its resources. Backed by 20 years of science, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is propelling this initiative forward in partnership with people living alongside wildlife, to ensure sustainability.
To secure a network of connected, critical landscapes enabling wildlife and people to flourish, IFAW has forged lasting partnerships and takes steps to integrate projects into the communities living closest to wildlife, creating a cycle in which the people benefit, leading to successful conservation outcomes and producing long-term results for people and animals.
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To secure holistic impact, IFAW focuses on progress through four pillars: landscape connectivity, wildlife protection, coexistence and community engagement, and rescue, rehabilitation, and release of wildlife in need.
The Impact on Wildlife Association is proud to support this initiative and has joined other partners by providing $45,000 in funding over the past two years.
$45,000
funded
across two programs covering $25,000 in 2024, and $20,000 in 2025.
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.
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VIDEO
Room to Roam: Enabling People and Wildlife to Co-Exist
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