Ansumana’s winning proposal to conduct a ‘Community Mangrove Conservation and Restoration’ project in Gambia was inspired by Mikoko Pamoja (“mangroves together”). This is a pioneering community project, which developed out of an Earthwatch research project to study  the rehabilitation of mangrove forests to alleviate poverty, enhance fisheries and slow coastal erosion in Kenya.

The project aims to enhance and restore areas of mangrove forest and empower the local community to manage the project. Ansumana will train groups of women, young people and volunteers in rural areas of Gambia to bee-keep and plant mangroves.  He aims to promote sustainable development initiatives, creativity, self-reliance and responsibility in the community.

The Earthwatch Shulman awards celebrates its tenth year of supporting emerging scientists by providing grants to early-career conservationists in Africa, Asia and Central and South America through the generous support of author and explorer Neville Shulman CBE.

Find out more about our work enabling scientists.