Angella Namagembe

Ugandan environmentalist leading forest conservation through community empowerment

Angella Namagembe (b.1972) pioneered sustainable development in Uganda's Bugoma Forest region, transforming deforestation into conservation. As director of Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources, she created the Forest Keepers initiative that trained 500+ local women in agroforestry. Her model replaced charcoal production with sustainable income streams like honey harvesting and ecotourism, reducing deforestation by 40% in project areas. Namagembe's innovative approach blends traditional knowledge with modern techniques, creating economic incentives for conservation. Her work has been featured in National Geographic's Environment section and UNDP reports. By involving women as primary stakeholders, she addressed both environmental and gender inequality issues. The Uganda Wildlife Authority now replicates her model nationwide. Namagembe's TED Talk 'Growing Forests Through Empowerment' has over 2 million views, spreading her message globally while maintaining local impact.