MAFA TAKES GREAT LEAP FOR WETLAND CONSERVATION

NONKAZIMLO Mafa is proving that conservation is not just about protecting species, it's about translating science into action.

- NICOLA DANIELS [e-mail]

As a biodiversity stewardship facilitator turned project manager in Durban, she’s using her skills to simplify scientific knowledge for local communities while working to protect endangered wetland frogs like the Pickersgill’s reed frog.

The 33-year-old mother of two began her conservation career at WWF-SA as a biodiversity stewardship facilitator shortly after completing a B.Agric in Extension and Production at the University of Fort Hare. Over time, she honed a key skill that continues to define her work: the ability to translate scientific information into accessible knowledge for local communities. That experience eventually prepared her for a transition into project management.

In May last year, she joined the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), where she now works across communal and privately owned land in Durban's semi-urban and urban areas.