Locally managed finance for urban ecosystems in Southern Africa

Lead organisation
Environment
Peri-urban
Dates
March 2025 - January 2029

Urban ecosystem degradation across African cities is worsening health, livelihoods and vulnerability to climate risks for millions of slum dwellers. This programme supports community-led restoration in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe through the locally managed grant system Urban Ecostewards Grant Facility (UEGF). A co-developed research framework grounds the work in local knowledge and international standards, using research-to-action to drive advocacy and influencing policy.

Through participatory tools like slum mapping, youth media and settlement forums, communities will identify ecosystem degradation, build an evidence base for effective restoration and promote inclusive approaches to improve urban resilience, biodiversity and equity at scale.

Full title
Locally-Managed Finance for Urban Ecosystem Restoration: Catalyzing Community-Led Action by Slum Dwellers in Southern Africa