Luambe Conservation Cup

The Luambe Conservation Cup 2025 is an innovative project that tackles environmental degradation, human-wildlife conflict, and poverty issues within the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, where often day-to-day survival outweighs any conservation efforts. It supports local communities in Chitungulu, Mwanya, and Nabwalya Chiefdoms with a gender equality perspective and trust-building between them and the conservation sector.

The project utilizes the common passion of football, through which we organize a football tournament of 36 men's and women's teams comprising almost 800 players and coaches since 2023. Since last year, we also feature the the Conservation Friday, which entails activities such as the Wildlife Quiz and creative artwork done by students to bring awareness to environmental stewardship. In the past years, the finals were accompanied by other cultural inputs like poetry performed by schools on conservation topics, among others, thus turning the tournament into yet another platform to celebrate great moments in both athletics and conservation.

The project is facilitated in partnership with the Chitungulu Community Resource Board, IFAW, the Chitungulu Foundation, and Chief Chitungulu. Every year, the tournament needs logistical support, educational materials, and community outreach programs-all things that are vital to donate to. Since 2023, donations and funds supported event transportation, accommodations, prizes, and activities focused on gender equality, conservation awareness, and local empowerment. The Luambe Conservation Cup successfully used football as a platform to unite communities, promote environmental education, and inspire sustainable change.