Building on Experience for Environmental Sustainability

WESM Today

  • Over 500 individuals members, over 1500 Wildlife Clubs (mostly school-based), 9 branches
  • WESM’s aim: Making a visible and measurable difference to the well informed conservation and sustainable management of wildlife and the natural environment in Malawi

Objectives:

  • Environmental education
  • Wildlife conservation activities
  • Well managed, financially secure organisation
  • Building on strengths of individual branches

While maintaining the independence and characteristic of individual branches, the role of the Secretariat includes strengthening the branch network and thereby WESM as a whole:

  • The WESM Secretariat is now active in branch support and coordination; formerly the Secretariat focused more on individual projects. More projects are now managed by branches rather than by the Secretariat; only those projects being implemented at a national level will be led by the Secretariat.
  • The Secretariat is leading a process of peer support between branches and is developing a professional skills database of branch members that can be used nationally; in this way WESM is building on the strengths of individual branches.
  • The Secretariat is supporting branches to focus on core activities like support of Wildlife Clubs and on programs like Eco-Schools (see Lilongwe branch) that take advantage of WESM’s national coverage.