Mushamba Moses

Mushamba is the founder and director of Rafiki Memorial Wildlife Conservation Initiative, a grassroots organization aimed at helping mountain gorillas and people in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Mushamba leads the efforts to combine conservation with education and empowerment of the local communities, including sustainable, conservation-based incomes through art. With his experience in craft making, wood curving, painting, drawing, pottery and cultural music, he directs and mentors a large group of young people in painting, sculpture, dance, music and eco-tourism. His goal is that everyone in the community can benefit from the local tourism market and has a dream that they will start to see themselves lucky to be neighboring the UNESCO heritage site, other than seeing it as a curse.

Mushamba's mentoring in the Buhoma-Bwindi community has already had an enormous impact on the outlook and paths for youth in conservation-compatible careers. His continued investment of time and leadership will only grow the impact and bring about a change of culture and appreciation for the mountain gorillas and the Bwindi forest ecosystem.