A Life Shaped by the Wild

Long before her work took her into remote landscapes, research stations, and some of Zambia’s most ecologically important regions, Thandiwe Mweetwa already knew she was drawn to the natural world.

Growing up in Zambia, she developed an early fascination with wildlife - its complexity, its fragility, and the delicate relationship between people, landscapes, and the species that depend on them.

During her years at Pestalozzi, that passion found purpose.

Surrounded by a community that encouraged young people to think beyond their own ambitions, Thandiwe began to understand that education is not only about discovering what you are capable of - but about deciding where your abilities might matter most.

Over the next decade, she built her career on the frontlines of conservation.

She spent years in the field tracking lions, leopards, wild dogs, and hyenas across some of Zambia’s most important ecosystems, building the expertise that would later shape her national and international leadership in conservation.

Alongside her field research, Thandiwe has remained committed to inspiring future conservation leaders through her work with Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust - one of the community conservation initiatives supported by Pestalozzi - helping young people build their own connection with wildlife and the natural world.

Today, as Integrated Landscape and Custodianship Manager with the Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme, a National Geographic Society Explorer, and Board Member of the Zambian Carnivore Programme, her focus has grown from studying individual species to protecting the landscapes, communities, and ecosystems that allow them to survive.

“Rooted in community-based conservation, my work is about helping create a future where people and wildlife thrive side by side.”

Her journey is a reminder that when passion is matched with opportunity, its impact can stretch far beyond one life - sometimes shaping the future of entire ecosystems.