Dec 19, 2024 Changemaker: Dr. Gladys Kalema-Kikusoka
This occasional series “Changemakers” honors individuals who have made a positive impact on the health and well-being of their community’s animals, people, and environment—a triad that forms the foundation of WellBeing International’s mission.
Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is an extraordinary Ugandan veterinarian whose life’s work meets at the intersection of wildlife protection, community health, and poverty alleviation. As the country’s first wildlife veterinarian, she has dedicated three decades to protecting the animals she loves —mountain gorillas — in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. She has pioneered a holistic approach that has transformed the lives of both humans and gorillas alike. Now in her mid-fifties, her dedication continues to weave a life of adventure and reward. I had the pleasure of photographing her and her lively sons, Ndhego and Tendo, as she went about her life-saving work in the jungles of Uganda.
Dr. Gladys’ work is marked by persistence and innovation. In her early days of veterinary work, a gorilla named Kahara suffered from a severe rectal prolapse. She performed emergency surgery despite the limited resources at hand and no trained anesthesiologist. Though some questioned the ethics of saving a gorilla with “bad genes,” her decision saved Kahara’s life and highlighted her commitment to the species.
In 2003, Dr. Gladys founded Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) after discovering a deadly scabies outbreak in the gorillas of Bwindi, which was linked to human interaction. She understood that in order to save animals, she would have to help local communities improve their health and hygiene. The CTPH would go on to reduce human disease and poverty by offering mobile health clinics, training community health workers, and educating populations about sanitation and conservation.
Beyond health, CTPH has focused on reducing population pressures and deforestation by promoting family planning and creating economic opportunities. Dr. Gladys’ notable business initiative was the founding of Gorilla Conservation Coffee, which trains local farmers to access national and international coffee markets. The program provides communities with sustainable livelihoods while reducing the need to encroach on gorilla habitats.
Additionally, Dr. Gladys prioritized disease surveillance by training community members to monitor gorilla movements and collect fecal samples. The samples are then tested at CTPH to identify cross-species diseases early, ensuring swift responses to potential outbreaks.
CTPH has faced what has seemed like insurmountable challenges: limited resources, political instability, and the constant threats of poachers. It’s inspiring that Dr. Gladys has remained optimistic. That optimism draws supporters and stakeholders to CTPH. She has received accolades including the Whitley Gold Award for leadership in grassroots conservation and she is a National Geographic Explorer. Dr. Gladys’ story underscores that change-making requires collaboration, education, and addressing the root causes of problems.
In Bwindi today, there are over 200 more wild gorillas than there were in the 1990s. Coexistence has increased significantly. There is much stronger enforcement against poaching. Tourism has increased, which protects the gorillas and brings revenue to communities. There is more peace. Dr. Gladys recounts that a very old male gorilla named Ruhondeza was dying of old age. He distanced himself from his troop and settled into the landscape close to the village. Rather than chase him off, the community watched over him and protected him until he passed away.
Jo-Anne is an award-winning photojournalist, sought-after speaker, photo editor, and the founder of We Animals. She has visited over sixty countries to document our complex relationship with animals. She is the author of three books: We Animals (2014), Captive (2017), and HIDDEN: Animals in the Anthropocene (2020), and is the subject of Canadian filmmaker Liz Marshall’s acclaimed Canadian documentary, The Ghosts in Our Machine. Jo-Anne’s photographs have received accolades from Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Nature Photographer of the Year, Big Picture, AEFONA, Picture of the Year International, the Global Peace Award, and others. In 2020, Jo-Anne was thrilled to be a member of the jury for World Press Photo. She hails from Toronto, Canada.