LocationsCreativity, Climate Action and Coexistence
November 25, 2024
Using Art to Tackle Human Wildlife Conflict
Sweeping statistics can be intimidating and often dehumanising. When tragedies are assessed in terms of numbers, we risk losing sight of the individual stories behind each life affected. The interests, hobbies, and aspirations that make a person human often fade into the vast expanse of figures and percentages. While statistics accurately reflect the magnitude of crises and play a key role in illustrating the need for action, they can also dilute the emotions and grief inherent in these situations. Even though it is true that numbers do not lie, they often do not tell the whole truth.
For the New Zambian Innovations artists, this reality is both unacceptable and desensitising. They aim to counteract this by injecting much-needed context, nuance, and emotion into conversations surrounding climate change and environmental degradation. Through their work, they uncover pockets of hope and triumph amidst disaster and conflict.
Kiss Abrahams, the founder and director of New Zambia Innovations – an artist collective, first encountered an open call for grant applications from the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) in 2023. As an artist, initiatives like these can seem far removed from the world of creativity and storytelling. But Kiss believed in the power of art to contribute to combating climate change and mitigating its effects. Understanding that the voices of the people on the front lines of climate crises are often lost in a sea of numbers and being acutely aware of the value of oratory, performance, and visual arts in imparting critical information to communities, he submitted an application.
“Culture shapes the way we see the world, and because culture is carried through the arts, the work of New Zambian Innovations has been crucial in sharing key messages about climate change and biodiversity conservation, mobilising communities to take effective action”the National Coordinator for the GEF-SGP, Marisa Mushota noted.
Indeed, culture is carried through the arts, so when Kiss received confirmation of his successful application, he worked with the talented Zambian artists under the collective to create impactful works that raise awareness about climate change and environmental degradation and biodiversity conservation. Their art communicates vital lessons about mitigating adverse effects and preserving natural resources in communities across Zambia. These works have reached far and wide, transforming perceptions, inspiring action, and fostering the preservation of Zambia’s abundant, diverse natural resources.
Recognising the power of their work with GEF-SGP, the United Nations Development Programme in Zambia partnered with New Zambian Innovations to support its flagship crowdfunding initiative, the Antoomwe Campaign.
Uniting Art and Advocacy
The Antoomwe Campaign is UNDP Zambia’s response to increased cases of human-wildlife conflict in Livingstone Zambia – an increase exacerbated by the El Niño induced drought. Falling under the Switch It Initiative, a broader regional campaign focused on climate action, the Antoomwe Campaign aims to raise USD 100,000 to implement three critical interventions:
- building water points in the Mosi Oa Tunya National Park (MNP) to prevent migration of elephants out of the park
- providing alternative livelihoods to affected communities around the MNP
raising awareness on Human wildlife Coexistence by educating local communities on wildlife behaviour and the critical importance of conservation efforts
“As cases of Human-Wildlife conflict continue to grow around the National Park, the news can often feel like over-stimulating stream of statistics and reports. But there are people behind each number, and we wanted a way to highlight this and make sure their experiences and stories can help prevent future tragedies.”said Benson Mwileli , Biodiversity Finance Initiative National Coordinator and Antoomwe Campaign Manager.
The Antoomwe Campaign launched at the end of October with a standing exhibition that showcased striking and inspiring works highlighting the realities of climate change and human-wildlife conflict. The opening night drew a significant crowd of people, followed by a round of visitors during its 3-running days. Many left deeply moved by the art which made the crisis both more tangible and relatable.
“I feel as an artist we have the capacity to translate personal experiences into a more visual presentation, and I think when people view that in the form of an image, they understand the repercussions of their actions, and the benefits of changing the ways they do things”Artist and member of New Zambian Innovations, Alice Mulo notes.
Interest from the exhibition also sparked new partnerships. Since then, the Antoomwe Campaign team have been collaborating with the World Wildlife Fund. This partnership is set to further the work of the Antoomwe Campaign by mobilising much-needed resources to support those living on the front lines of the human-wildlife conflict.
“This launch is not just about fundraising — It’s about building partnerships and a taking collective action to protect the people and wildlife that are integral to Livingstone’s natural heritage. The success of this campaign depends on the collaboration of various partners: private sector players, cooperating partners, community leaders, artists, activists, and individuals who believe in the cause of conservation.”the Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Zambia, Laurent Rudasignwa noted at the launch.
Driving Action with Art
Since the launch, the artists have gone beyond advocacy, committing to donating 35% of the proceeds of the 22 artworks to the Antoomwe Campaign — explore the curation here. This generosity exemplifies their dedication to leveraging their creativity for tangible impact, driving progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action.
You, too, can make a difference in the lives of people and wildlife in and around the park. Visit the Antoomwe Campaign page to learn how you can help protect lives and ensure a future where humans and wildlife coexist peacefully.
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