Selected Careers in Conservation

Woodcarver turned environmental activist

Force Ngwira – Malawi

Force lives in Malawi, where he worked as a successful woodcarver for 15 years. He sold his carvings to tourists and did well, but as the number of woodcarvers grew, he realised that cutting down the slow growing hardwood trees that they used for carving was unsustainable, that soon there would be no trees left, none for his children to see and none for them to use.

He formed The Wood Carvers’ Association and as Director he oversaw the planting of 27,000 trees.

He went on to become the Country Director of RIPPLE Africa. Working with 150 full time staff and 4,000 volunteers he manages a series of environmental regeneration programmes focused on fish conservation, tree planting and fuel-efficient cookstove projects. Village by village, in collaboration with communities, Force and his team have planted over eight million trees. Through the RIPPLE Africa Fish for Tomorrow project, they are helping communities to manage their fish resource sustainably along a 300km length of Lake Malawi.

Force came full circle and is now a dedicated Malawian environmental activist. It has not been an easy, simple nor straightforward journey but his dedication to overcome challenges and educate and empower local communities to be equally as committed to conserving their environment has made him quite literally a Force of Nature!