Jonathan L. Kwiyega, Executive Director

Jonathan has been the WASIMA project manager since 2015. He holds a Master of Science degree in Management of Natural Resources for Sustainable Agriculture, from Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania) and has broad natural resource management experience. He is a wildlife conservator, storyteller, researcher, trainer, educator, and activist. Jonathan is also a teacher, gifted speaker, and author of How to Glow Your Genius and Develop Your Talent.

Emmanuel S. Lekundayo, Programs Manager

Emmanuel joined LCMO in October 2018. He holds a BSc in Wildlife Management and Conservation from, the University of Nairobi. Previously, he worked for Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP) as a research and education officer, participating in field data collection and elephant conservation advocacy. Emmanuel also loves wildlife photography.

Gilya Lino, Human-Lions Coexistence Program Coordinator -Tabora

Lino joined LCMO in 2019 and worked as Assistant Project Manager under the WASIMA Campaign. Gilya holds an MSc. in Ecosystem Science and Management from Sokoine University of Agriculture. He is currently leading the Tabora team working around the Ugalla-Kigosi ecosystem but is based at Ipole village. Lino has a deep passion for wildlife photography and research.

Belinda J. Mligo, Human-Lion Coexistence Program Coordinator - Katavi and Rukwa

Belinda holds an M.Sc. in Public Health and Food Safety and a B.Sc. in Wildlife Management from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). She first joined LCMO as an intern in May 2021 until July 2022 when she took over the leading of the Human Lion Coexistence Program (WASIMA campaign) operations in the Katavi and Rukwa ecosystem.

Happiness Jackson, Youth, and the Environment Program Coordinator

Happiness first interned with LCMO in 2020, where she worked closely with Emmanuel to run the VIMA youth project. She started leading youth and children engagements in conservation in 2021. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management and conservation and enjoys working with youth groups.

Herieth Kivuyo, Women and Livelihoods Program Coordinator

Herieth previously joined LCMO as a field assistant and has developed good experience working with communities in areas of rural finance, livelihoods, and development. She is currently leading a group of rural women to realize the potential of chicken farming, a pay-forward project model in Mpimbwe.

Errio Tom, Finance and Accountant Manager

Mr. Errio is the finance Manager at Landscape and Conservation Mentors Organization (LCMO), He regularly undertakes financial accounts work for LCMO including preparing and submitting tax returns, preparing the financial statement, and maintaining receivables and payables accounts.

Over the years, he has developed the ability to work with other firms, he has helped businesses with collecting, tracking, and correcting the company financials and also offered financial advice when required.

Errio obtained his bachelor degree in Economics and Finance from the Institute of Accountancy Arusha. He began working as an assistant accountant at the Baobab Community Foundation for more than two years. He is currently enrolled in a certified public Account. Errio’s favorite animal is the lion, just for its being the king of the jungle. He is proud to be part of the lion conserving team.

Prisca G. Patroba, Administration Officer

Prisca joined LCMO in 2022. She holds a degree in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness and has been pivotal in managing administration duties at LCMO. She is excited to work in the conservation field.

Bahati Hillary Kayanda, Camp Mechanic and Driver

Bahati joined LCMO in 2016 as a village assistant for our youth and Environment program. In 2020, he was supported to join Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) to advance his lifelong passion for vehicle driving and maintenance. He is currently managing services and maintenance of our field vehicles and motorbikes.

Christopher Msirombo, Field Assistant

Msirombo previously served as a Lion Conservation Ambassador. He was also a Village Game Scout for Ipole Wildlife Management Area. He has a vast experience of the area and conservation challenges in the area and has been committed to working to secure the future of communities and wildlife around the Ugalla ecosystem.

John Kakusa, Field Operations Assistant

John Godwell Kakusa joined LCMO 2020 and has been pivotal in managing our tree Nurseries. He has been progressively learning new skills and sometimes assisting Bahati in fixing vehicles.

Paschalia William Boniface, Household and Logistics Officer

Pascalia joined LCMO in 2022. She takes care of our main office in Mpimbwe.

Editha Abdallah Kwiyanga, Office Cleaner

Editha plays an important role in ensuring our compound and offices are always clean.

Christina Meja

Christina represents LCMO in three villages (Lyazumbi and some parts of Ipanda, Mkole, and Paramawe) of Nkasi in the Rukwa region.

John Kwilasa

John joined the WASIMA campaign in 2011 and has been a supportive link between LCMO and the community. He represents LCMO in Mpimbwe District Council. He has a strong ability to influence community members and village leaders and he has been an instrumental link between LCMO and the greater community of Mpimbwe. He actively represents the LCMO team and assists in coordinating our village field activities, outreaches, and emergencies.

Mwayaya Philemon Mwazembe

Mwazembe joined WASIMA Campaign in 2011 making him one of the longest-tenured team members. Mwazembe works in 10 villages surrounding Katavi NP and Rukwa Game Reserve. He actively represents the LCMO team and assists in coordinating our village field activities, outreaches, and emergencies.

Leonard Maiko

Leonard is a village game scout for Mpimbwe WMA and a committed LCA representing LCMO in Kizi and Lyazumbi villages bordering Lwafi GR, Katavi NP, and Mpimbwe WMA.

James Abiud Kibingo

Represents LCMO in Utimule village but also manages the Loud Speaker and Early Warning System (LEWS) in the village. He is also a village game scout and passionate about wildlife conservation.

Hamis Msimami Saidi

Hamis Msimami Saidi represent LCMO in Ukumbisiganga. Saidi resides next to Ugalla River National Park and Luganzo Tongwe Game Reserve. Growing up beside wildlife and experiencing coexistence challenges ignited his interest and commitment to participate in conservation. He loves lions because they symbolize strength.

Stephano Alfred Chata

Stephano has a deep passion of work with communities, especially in areas of education and self-awareness. He represents LCMO at Idekamiso Village bordering Ipole WMA.

Vitalis Malilo

Vitalis represents LCMO in Kibaoni village. He graduated from primary school education in 2004 and has been a committed environmental ambassador in Kibaoni through LCMO, he mobilized the formation of a beekeeping group and led tree-planting initiatives in his village. The area he represents borders Katavi National Park and Mpimbwe WMA and is faced with human-wildlife conflict and his commitment is to educate people on how to mitigate the conflict. He loves elephants because of their ability to form strong social bonds and intelligence.

Lezile Anthony Mtunga

Lezile Anthony Mtunga represents LCMO in Sitalike and Igongwe village. He completed his Secondary School Education in 2011 and 2015, he started working as a research assistant helping in camera trapping under the Ruaha Carnivore (now Lion Landscapes). Lezile loves giraffes as they symbolize calmness.

Gonda Tungu Ngwengwe

Gonda represents LCMO at Mwamulu village and also manages the operation of the human-wildlife conflict Loudspeaker and Early Warning System (LEWS) in his village.

Ngasa Clement Ndege

Ngasa Clement Ndege represents LCMO in Nsogolo. He was recruited in 2022 by the Uyumbu WMA to support ongoing joint patrol. His commitment to conservation has been ignited by his love for seeing wildlife thriving in community land. He loves lions because of their immense value to biodiversity and tourism.

Abubakari Juma

Abubakari Juma represents LCMO in Lumbe village. He graduated from primary school education in 2006, and later joined Village Game Scout Training at Likuyu Sekamaganga College in 2021. He started working as an assistant for the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) in managing problem animals in Lumbe village. He loves lions as they represent a symbol of strength.

Hans Cosmas Ngoteya - Board Chairman

Hans Ngoteya is a conservationist from Tanzania with a passion for filming and photography. His ultimate goal is to develop and explore practical solutions to solving emerging conservation challenges, through a combination of skills, knowledge, passion, and experience. Hans is a 2016 National Geographic Young Explorer grantee.

Peter Genda

Peter is a wildlife enthusiast and Tanzanian national with vast experience in managing wildlife conservation projects. He holds a BSc in Wildlife Conservation from Makerere University (Uganda) and MSc in Conservation Management of African Ecosystems from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He was previously a wildlife officer at the game department in Tanzania, a tutor at the College of African Wildlife Management (Mweka), and currently an Operational Manager at the Frankfurt Zoological Society. He was also involved in setting up a community-based lion conservation initiative south of Katavi National Park called “WASIMA”-Watu Simba na Mazingira, or “People, lions and the environment”.

Prof. Tim Caro

Tim Caro is a Professor at Bristol University. He works on predator and antipredator behavior, biodiversity assessments, and conservation, and has a very long research record in Tanzania. One of his recent research works is investigating the evolutionary enigma of why zebras are black and white.

Prof. Monique Borgerhoff Mulder

Monique Borgerhoff Mulder is a UC Davis Professor of Anthropology with over 17 years of experience working in Mpimbwe. She specializes in quantitative demographic and economic analyses and has published (with P. Coppolillo) Conservation: Linking Ecology, Economics, and Culture (Princeton University Press, 2005).

Dr. Vanessa Lovenburg

Vanessa did her Ph.D. at Oxford on soft coral biodiversity, conservation, and phylogenetics. Soft corals (a.k.a octocorals) are an understudied group of corals found all over the world from deep to shallow waters in both polar and tropical seas. She has years of experience in fieldwork, lab work(genetics and species identification), mentoring, lecturing, and tutoring. she also has a passion for photography and anything creative.