Resson Kantai Duff
Funding Director, Maliasili
Pronouns: She/her
Nominated Takudzwa (Taku) Samantha Mutezo (2023)
Resson is the Portfolio Funding Director at Maliasili where she is working to raise both the funding and influence of local conservation organisations across Africa. Having worked in the environmental and conservation space for fifteen years, Resson’s work as a community conservation advocate has grown to revolve around co-creating and advancing a community-led narrative where Africans can reclaim their sense of ownership over their wildlife, culture and land. She shared these ideas as a TED speaker, calling the world to support local conservation efforts. She previously served as the Deputy Director of Ewaso Lions, a community conservation organisation in Kenya. She is a Women for the Environment (WE Africa) Founding Fellow, a National Geographic Explorer, and was also conferred the Wild Elements Innovator award in 2021. Through her journey, she has struggled with issues of belonging, vulnerability and visibility – complex and difficult, but they bring nuance to her approach. She holds a Masters in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford, and an undergraduate degree in Zoology from the University of Nairobi.
