LocationsHow a $50,000 Grant is Helping Lilongwe Wildlife Centre Breathe New Life Into Urban Nature
A Haven Reimagined
August 1, 2025
With support from the Small Grants Programme (SGP), Lilongwe Wildlife Centre has launched an “Urban Nature” campaign to raise awareness about the value of green spaces in cities and promote sustainable urban living.
UNDP Malawi
Right in the centre of Malawi’s capital lies an unexpected sanctuary, a patch of forest echoing with birdsong and the laughter of schoolchildren. This is the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, a green haven spanning 70 hectares of beautiful forest amid a rapidly urbanising city. Thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Small Grants Programme (SGP), this vital urban oasis is undergoing a quiet transformation, one that’s turning it from a place known by few into a shared treasure for many.
The SGP, established in 1992, is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) initiative implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). It empowers communities to address global environmental challenges while improving livelihoods and well-being. In Malawi, SGP continues to support innovative, community-driven initiatives that align with both the Sustainable Development Goals and Malawi Vision 2063.
For years, the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, run by the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, struggled to attract consistent local participation. Misconceptions were common: some believed wild animals still roamed freely, others thought it was unsafe, or simply didn’t know it even existed.
“There are still some misconceptions, maybe, about this place,” admitted the Centre's Director of Communication Elaine Haike. “People worry that it’s dangerous or that there are wild animals and stuff… Some still think we have lions just wandering around.”
That’s beginning to change.
Elaine Haike, Director of Communications at Lilongwe Wildlife Centre.
Rethinking Urban Nature
With support from SGP, the Centre launched an “urban nature” campaign to raise awareness about the value of green spaces in cities. Focus group research revealed which messages resonated most with Lilongwe residents: mental health, social connection, environmental protection, and discovery. These insights are now shaping communication across platforms, from striking billboards to community events and social media.
“We’re using words like ‘discovery’, ‘peace’, and ‘curiosity’ instead of ‘wilderness’ or ‘wild’, which some found intimidating,” explained Elaine. “The support from the Small Grants Programme has been huge. Honestly, we struggle to find funding for this type of work—awareness raising, marketing, research into what people think and feel about nature. This is the first time we have had that kind of support, and it’s made a big difference.”
A Forest That Talks Back
The Centre’s campaign extends beyond digital efforts. In July, they hosted a free Open Day that welcomed over 100 community members for guided tours, interactive exhibits, and shared refreshments. “It gave a sense of ownership,” said Deputy Manager Jenny Tembo. “We had tea, coffee, and juice and mingled. People started seeing this place as theirs, not just somewhere out there for tourists or expats.”
A community clean-up of the Lingadzi River, which runs through the centre, collected more than 50 bags of waste. “We sorted them through our on-site recycling system,” added Jenny. “We’re planning another one in August, and this time we’re inviting even more schools and local leaders.”
With SGP support, Lilongwe Wildlife Centre’s “Urban Nature” campaign promotes the value of green spaces for well-being and the environment.
UNDP Malawi
Empowering Schools and Communities
For Steve Makumba, the Centre’s Environmental Education Officer, the grant has been transformative. “Initially, we were not engaging the communities, we were just working in parallel,” he recalled. “Now we are seeing traditional leaders asking, ‘What’s the way forward?’ They are proposing bylaws to govern environmental practices and sharing information on illegal logging and charcoal burning.”
Through workshops and outreach, the Centre is partnering with six surrounding communities. Block leaders, market chairpersons, and church elders are now active participants. “We’re not working in isolation anymore,” Steve said. “Even the chief contacts me to share updates and tips on how to curb encroachment using the communities around. That never happened before.”
This engagement has resulted in an increase in school visits, from 4,000 learners between January and June to over 7,000 by July. The Centre offers nine modules, covering topics such as biodiversity and sustainable energy, which students participate in through interactive sessions and forest trails.
“We want learners to take the knowledge and turn it into action back home,” Steve said. “It’s about connecting theory with nature.”
Steve Makumba, Environmental Education Officer at Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, says the SGP grant has deepened community engagement and sparked local action on environmental protection.
UNDP Malawi
Breathing New Life into the Centre
The grant has also supported the revival of public infrastructure and programmes. A long-forgotten playground has been revived. New signage lines the trails. A series of themed events, 13 so far, have included yoga, bird walks, and the beloved “World Kids” day, now reimagined for underserved communities.
“We’re making this place accessible,” Jenny emphasised. “For the upcoming World Kids event, the entry fee is just MK5,000 for two days. We want children from areas like Area 23 and Lumbadzi to see what enrichment means, even for animals.”
The Centre has also introduced membership cards and guidebooks for visitors, encouraging repeat visits and helping guests navigate the forest trails on their own.
Jenny Tembo, Deputy Manager at Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, underscores the Centre’s push to make conservation inclusive—offering affordable events like World Kids Day to reach children from underserved communities.
UNDP Malawi
A Future for All
While the journey is ongoing, the changes are palpable. “The reviews are more positive, the events are busier, and most importantly, people are starting to care,” says Elaine.
In a city quickly losing its green spaces, the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre shows that urban nature is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. And with proper support, it can become a space for reflection, learning, and belonging.
“This is the last patch of Acacia congruentum indigenous forest in the central region,” Elaine reminded us. “That’s not just rare. That’s sacred.”
New and renovated signs now line the pathways of the Wildlife Centre, guiding visitors through its natural wonders.