East African Wild Life Society

What East African Wild Life Society does

East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) is a Nairobi-headquartered, non-profit conservation NGO registered in Kenya under the NGO Coordination Act and serving Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Founded in 1956 through a merger of the Kenyan and Tanzanian wildlife societies with wildlife enthusiasts from Uganda, and formally named in 1961, it positions itself as the longest-standing membership-based public-benefit conservation organization in East Africa. Its functional scope spans wildlife, forest, wetland, and marine conservation through three interlocking activities: advocacy and litigation (including Environment and Lands Court cases and amicus curiae filings at the East African Court of Justice), on-ground project implementation (Forest Rehabilitation Programme 2021-2030, Mt. Elgon Elephant Project, Lake Ol Bolossat Ramsar pursuit, Blue Carbon Ecosystems Conservation), and stakeholder convening through sector forums (KFWG, KWF, KWCF, Imre Loefler Talks) and a network of 350+ Community Forest Associations and 8 Beach Management Units.

EAWLS's product surface is content- and membership-centric rather than technology-centric. Core products are SWARA Magazine (a quarterly conservation publication running 60+ years), the African Journal of Ecology (a Wiley-published research journal), the Members Portal for registration and renewal, an online merchandise shop, monthly/bi-monthly newsletters, and policy briefs and reports. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization runs a standard self-serve membership portal, accepts payments via M-Pesa Paybill 502300, PayPal, bank transfer (multi-currency), and cheque, and distributes through digital channels plus a small set of international representatives in the US, UK, Netherlands, and the Nordic countries.

Revenue is generated through a diversified non-profit model: individual memberships (six tiers priced USD 20-350), corporate memberships (four tiers priced USD 350-2,000), one-off and memorial donations, project-tied appeals (Rangers in Kirisia, Forest Rehabilitation, Lake Ol Bolossat), merchandise sales, and project grants from foundations including PEW Charitable Trusts, JRS Biodiversity Foundation, GEF/FAO, CEPF, Intrepid Foundation, Mara Conservation Fund, Mount Elgon Foundation, Elephant Crisis Fund, ICFC, and historically USAID and the US Forest Service. With 80+ corporate members, 11-50 employees, and no publicly disclosed financial statements, scale is best described as a mid-sized regional NGO with multi-million-dollar annual inflows heavily dependent on grant cycles.

Name

East African Wild Life Society

Legal name

East African Wild Life Society

Website

https://eawildlife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) is a Nairobi-based, 60-year-old non-profit conservation NGO serving Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda through advocacy, litigation, on-ground wildlife and habitat projects, and a tiered membership, donation, and grant-funded revenue model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI), Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ), Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Environmental advocacy
• Conservation research
• Membership conservation
• Habitat protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Individual and corporate membership fees across multiple tiers including East Africa, Rest of Africa, and International categories. Individual membership ranges from USD 20 (E-Swara) to USD 350 (Benefactor). Corporate membership ranges from USD 350 (Associate) to USD 2,000 (Platinum).
2. Donations and Appeals: One-off donations, memorial donations, and specific project appeals (Rangers in Kirisia Forest, Forest Rehabilitation Programme, Lake Ol Bolossat Project). Donations accepted via PayPal, M-Pesa, bank transfer, and cheque.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate membership and project sponsorship from platinum, gold, silver, and bronze member organizations across conservation, tourism, and hospitality sectors.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of environmentally-friendly merchandise including SWARA Magazine, calendars, postcards, and branded items through the online shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) is a non-profit NGO delivering wildlife, forest, wetland, and marine conservation programs across East Africa through advocacy, policy influence, and on-ground conservation projects. The organization operates a membership-based model offering individual and corporate memberships, donations, and project partnerships, supported by publications including SWARA Magazine and the African Journal of Ecology.

Product overview

EAWLS operates as a conservation organization offering a portfolio of membership-based services and publications centered on wildlife, forests, wetlands, and marine conservation in East Africa. The core offerings include SWARA Magazine (quarterly conservation publication), the African Journal of Ecology (research journal), a Members Portal for member registration/renewal, an Online Shop for merchandise, newsletters, and various policy briefs and reports. These products collectively support the organization's mission of advocacy, conservation programs, and environmental education in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SWARA Magazine: The journal of the East African Wild Life Society, championing environmental and wildlife conservation for over sixty years. It has helped shape legislation and policy designed to protect natural resources.
• African Journal of Ecology
• Forest Challenge

Products and services

• SWARA Magazine Quarterly conservation magazine that has championed environmental and wildlife conservation for over sixty years, highlighting environmental issues, showcasing biodiversity, and sharing experiences of the wild across East Africa. Distributed to EAWLS members and available in digital archives.
• African Journal of Ecology Premier research journal publishing original scientific research into the ecology and conservation of African animals and plants, with wide circulation within and outside Africa. Published in partnership with Wiley.
• EAWLS Members Portal Online membership management platform providing member registration, renewal, and access to exclusive content including SWARA Magazine archives.
• EAWLS Online Shop E-commerce platform for environmentally-friendly merchandise sales supporting EAWLS conservation initiatives, including SWARA Magazine, calendars, postcards, and branded items.
• EAWLS Reports and Policy Briefs Policy briefs and reports addressing conservation issues including agroforestry guides, wetland strategies, and wildlife management recommendations, including the National Wetlands Restoration Strategy.
• EAWLS Newsletters Regular newsletter publications keeping members informed about conservation work, campaigns, and environmental updates. Available as monthly and bi-monthly digital newsletters.
• EAWLS Individual Membership Annual membership program for individuals supporting conservation in East Africa, with tiers from E-Swara (digital-only, USD 20) to Benefactor (USD 300-350), including Swara Magazine, online archive access, merchandise discounts, and special benefits.
• EAWLS Corporate Membership Annual membership program for corporate organizations seeking to demonstrate environmental commitment, with tiers from Associate (USD 350) to Platinum (USD 2,000), including brand visibility in SWARA Magazine, advertising discounts, and event access.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Fauna & Flora International (FFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFauna & Flora International is a major conservation partner of EAWLS. The organization has a board representative (Serah Munguti) on EAWLS's board. FFI provides funding through projects including Blue Carbon Ecosystems Conservation in Kenya. EAWLS also operates under FFI's UK charity framework for tax relief.
• Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO Kenya, through The Restoration Initiative (TRI) with GEF 6 funding, partners with EAWLS on restoration of arid and semi-arid lands through bio-enterprise development and forest landscape restoration in Kenya.
• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKWS is a key government partner collaborating on wildlife conservation projects including Mt. Elgon Elephant Project and protected area management.
• Kenya Forest Service (KFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKFS partners with EAWLS on forest conservation, Forest Challenge event organization, and Forest Rehabilitation Programme implementation.
• Kenya Forest Service (KFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKFS manages gazetted forests in Kenya and collaborates with EAWLS on community forest associations, forest conservation, and enforcement.
• Kijabe Environmental Volunteers (KENVO)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKENVO partners with EAWLS and KFS on the annual Forest Challenge event for tree planting and forest rehabilitation.
• World Wide Fund for Nature Kenya (WWF-K)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF-Kenya is a key conservation partner collaborating on environmental initiatives in Kenya.
• BirdLife InternationalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirdLife International works with EAWLS on Important Bird Area (IBA) designation and biodiversity conservation.
• Wetlands InternationalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWetlands International partners on wetland conservation and restoration initiatives in East Africa.
• World Conservation Union (IUCN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIUCN collaborates with EAWLS on conservation standards, policy development, and environmental management.
• Uganda Wildlife Society (UWS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWS is a sister organization in Uganda working on wildlife conservation in the region.
• National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEMA is the Kenyan government agency collaborating on environmental impact assessments and policy enforcement.
• Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRT collaborates on community conservancy development and wildlife management in northern Kenya.
• African Journal of Ecology - WileysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWiley publishes the African Journal of Ecology in partnership with EAWLS as a platform for conservation research.
• National Museums of KenyasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Museums of Kenya provides technical support and collaboration on the Mt. Elgon Elephant Project.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nature Kenya: BirdLife partner in Kenya running membership-based conservation programmes, Important Bird Areas, and community site-based work. Closely comparable to EAWLS in domestic Kenya membership model, advocacy, and IBA/site-based conservation.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): International animal welfare and conservation NGO operating in East Africa on wildlife crime, human-wildlife conflict, and habitat protection. Highly comparable mission; EAWLS Vice-Chairman Michael Wamithi serves on IFAW's board.
• BirdLife International: Global partnership of bird-conservation organisations active in Important Bird Area designation, including Lake Ol Bolossat (an IBA EAWLS is working to designate as Ramsar). Direct peer in site-based biodiversity conservation and policy advocacy, and a strategic partner of EAWLS.
• Wetlands International: Global wetlands-focused conservation NGO with active programmes in East Africa on wetland inventory, Ramsar designation, and policy. Direct peer given EAWLS's wetland focus (Lake Ol Bolossat) and is a strategic partner.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global wildlife conservation NGO with active East African programmes, including landscape-scale wildlife management and policy advocacy. Closely comparable to EAWLS in mission, science-based approach, and use of protected-area networks.
• WWF Kenya: Kenya country office of WWF with deep involvement in East African landscape conservation, policy, and community programmes. Direct peer to EAWLS and listed among EAWLS's strategic partners in the dataset.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation NGO headquartered in Nairobi with a focus on wildlife, landscapes, and community-based conservation across East Africa. Direct peer to EAWLS in mission, geography, and corporate-partnership model; AWF is even listed among EAWLS's corporate members.
• Fauna & Flora International: UK-registered international conservation NGO with active programmes in Kenya (including the Blue Carbon project jointly with EAWLS) and across East Africa. Direct peer in conservation advocacy, donor base, and species/habitat focus, and also a strategic partner to EAWLS.

Broad incumbents

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Global conservation standards and policy body that shapes international conservation frameworks and works with national/regional NGOs across East Africa. Broader incumbent that operates across more geographies and themes than EAWLS but overlaps on species, habitat, and policy work; listed as a strategic partner.

Regional players

• Peace Parks Foundation: Transfrontier conservation NGO focused on cross-border peace parks in southern Africa (e.g., Kavango-Zambezi). Regionally comparable in cross-border conservation and corporate/funding model but operates in southern, not East, Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eawildlife
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@eastafricanwildlifesociety9767
• Facebookfacebook.com/eawildlife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-african-wild-life-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/eawildlife

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about East African Wild Life Society