Gladys K Zikusoka

Are you as excited as we are for the full documentary Kings of the Forest? Tune in to discover the incredible work of Conservation Through Public Health (@CTPHuganda) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (@ugwildlife) in protecting endangered mountain gorillas. Catch it on @CNN Call to Earth on: Sat 3/29/25 1:30 AM Eastern Time 8:30 AM Uganda Time 6:30 AM Eastern Time 1:30 pm Uganda Time 9:30 PM Eastern Time 4:30 AM Uganda Time (Sunday 30th) Sun 3/30/25 2:30 AM Eastern Time 9:30 AM Uganda Time 1:30 PM Eastern Time 8:30 PM Uganda Time 11:00 PM Eastern Time 6:00 AM Uganda Time (Monday 31st) @ROLEX

Honored to be featured on Season 20 of Échappées Belles, a popular French weekly discovery program. I had the opportunity to take the France 5 TV crew to see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, while also sharing the story of how our work at Conservation Through Public Health began. Thank you Ismaël Khelifa for coming down to the Pearl of Africa to capture our stories. Special thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Programme and the Uganda Embassy in Paris for making it happen. Watch full episode: youtu.be/GlH31mbi4sk?si…

Excited to see Mark Plotkin founder of Amazon Conservation Team and a Skoll Awardee at our One Health panel discussion during the Skoll World Forum, where his colleague Luis Claudio Lopez da Silva presented about their inspiring work advancing planetary health through supporting indigenous communities’ traditional practices. An author himself, Mark endorsed my memoir “Walking With Gorillas” and big thank you to Allison Hanes from One Health productions who introduced us. #SkollWF2026 #WalkingWithGorillas #OneHealth

Truly honored to have my memoir and charter, “Walking With Gorillas” in the Inspiration Library at the 2026 Skoll World Forum in Saïd Business School at Oxford University. And inspired to meet Kevin L. Brown the author of Fundable and Findable whose amazing book is also featured in the inspiration library. He used to live in Uganda and has tracked the mountain gorillas 🦍! It was great to sign a book for his daughters. @kevinlbrown #SkollWF2026 #WalkingWithGorillas #OneHealth

Happy Earth Day! Yesterday, BBC World Service published my interview with their inspiring presenter, Myra Anubi. When I first encountered the mountain gorillas, 🦍 their numbers were critically low and close to extinction. Today, their population has risen significantly and our One Health approach has contributed to this positive growth. This model recognizes that we cannot separate the health of wildlife from that of people. Through community health volunteers, we support local communities to improve their health, adopt good hygiene practices, understand the dangers of poaching, and appreciate the importance of planting trees. These efforts empower communities to become more self-sufficient, reducing their dependence on the forest to meet basic needs. At the same time, it helps prevent the transmission of diseases between people and wildlife. The theme for Earth Day 2026 is “Our Power, Our Planet.” It calls on all of us to embrace small actions that collectively make a big difference, such as reducing plastic use and planting trees, which we are already championing at Conservation Through Public Health, and our social enterprise, Gorilla Conservation Coffee that supports smallholder farmers around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Protecting our planet is a shared responsibility. When communities embrace family planning, the pressure on natural resources like forests is reduced. When trees are planted and poaching is discouraged, we safeguard our environment. Through the One Health approach, our planet can become healthier and more resilient. I encourage everyone to adopt this approach in your respective fields. It is not limited to conservationists. Happy Earth Day, and thank you to the BBC for highlighting this important message on such an important day. Listen to the full interview: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3… Photo credit: Kibuuka Mukisa

We are so honored to be featured on the BBC program “People Fixing the World”. I hope you had the chance to listen to my interview on BBC World Service and listen to and watch our work with Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Bwindi local community on “Focus on Africa” yesterday. Thank you very much for helping amplify the message of our One Health approach, a model we have consistently championed across the world. At its core, it recognizes that the health of people, wildlife, livestock, and the environment is deeply interconnected, and that lasting impact comes when we improve them together. It is a model I strongly believe can transform sectors far beyond conservation, and as CTPH, we remain open and ready to support those willing to adopt and adapt it. You can catch up on all the features through the links below: Radio Documentary: bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3c… Short radio: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0… Instagram: instagram.com/reel/DXGvxtglf… TikTok: @bbcnews/video/7628529127519178006?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">tiktok.com/@bbcnews/video… Online version: bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0n… bbc.co.uk/newsround/vide… Children’s News (UK): bbc.co.uk/newsround/vide…

Join me this Monday for an inspiring evening of fellowship 🌿🐒 I’ll be sharing insights on protecting mountain gorillas and the environment through community-led conservation ; and how together, we can create lasting impact for both people and wildlife. 📅 Monday, 13th April 2026 📍 Speke Resort Munyonyo ⏰ 7:00 PM

Our health and the health of our planet are inseparable. At this year’s Skoll World Forum, we will explore what it takes to protect the ecosystems, communities, and systems of care that allow all life to thrive. How do we safeguard the health of people and the planet? These conversations bring together social entrepreneurs and innovators who understand that collective flourishing is only possible when we care for people and the planet as one. We invite virtual attendees to join us for the following sessions focused on ensuring collective flourishing: • Forests on the Frontline: Integrated Solutions for a Thriving Future — with Emily Jacobi, Awana Digital; Fabíola Zerbini, Conexsus; Kasmita Widodo, BRWA Foundation; and Vivek Maru, @GlobalNamati (April 22, 10–11:30am BST) • One Health in Action: Protecting People, Animals, and the Planet — with @DoctorGladys, @ctphuganda; Luiz Cláudio Lopes da Silva, @amazonteambr; @toniakinola, @drasatrust; and @kengggg, @opendream (April 22, 10–11:30am BST) • Trust as Global Health Infrastructure — with Adana Omágua Kambeba; Ari Johnson, @musohealth; and Piyush Tewari, SaveLIFE Foundation (April 23, 2:30–4pm BST) Virtual attendance is open to the public. Explore the full program and register to join us: skoll.org/skoll-world-fo… #SkollWF

Today, as the world celebrates Jane Goodall Day on April 3rd, for the very first time, I am filled with deep gratitude for a woman and primatologist who has inspired generations of conservationists across the globe, myself included. Dr. Jane Goodall has shown us that one person, guided by compassion, curiosity, and courage, can change the way humanity understands and protects nature. Her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees opened the door for a deeper appreciation of the complex lives of our closest relatives in the wild, and it inspired many of us to dedicate our lives to protecting great apes. Personally, She has been more than a global icon. She has been a mentor from afar and an enduring source of motivation. When I wrote my book, Walking with Gorillas, I was profoundly honored that she accepted to write the foreword. Her words in that book were not only an endorsement of my journey, but also a reminder of the responsibility we all share to protect wildlife and the communities that live alongside it. Thanking Dr. Jane Goodall, for lighting the path for so many of us. A day dedicated in her honor is more than well deserved! May we continue her enduring legacy! #JaneGoodallDay #JaneGoodall #RememberingJane #ThankYouJane #HopeThroughAction #MakeADifference

Warm up to listen to our Founder and CEO, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, at this year’s #SkollWorldForum, in a discussion about the increasing importance of the #OneHealth approach in advancing human, animal, and planetary health...

Honoured to speak at the 2026 Skoll World Forum for a panel discussion on “One Health in Action: Protecting People, Animals, and the Planet,” taking place from 10:00 - 11:30 AM BST on April 22, 2026, together with Luiz Cláudio Lopes da Silva from Amazon Conservation Team, Oluwatoni Akinola from DRASA Health Trust, and Patipat Susumpao from Opendream. It will be four days of connection, collaboration, and learning from social entrepreneurs driving systems change around the world. Follow along on #SkollWF for updates from Oxford or register for free virtual participation at skoll.wf/2026virtual. #SkollWF #SocialEntrepreneurship @SkollFoundation

Thank you Hon Kadaga for joining the family on this special celebration of my Godfather Justice Samuel Wako Wambuzi and giving such a nice speech. Uncle Sam inspired us all with his energy and words of wisdom with lessons in marriage and having a healthy work-life balance, spanning decades of impactful service to the nation.

Tribute to Dr. Birute Galdikas from Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka I am saddened to hear of the passing of a legend and the last of the three Trimates supported by Prof Louis Leakey whose ground breaking discoveries laid a strong foundation for Primatology. I was honored to become a DeHaan finalist for the 2023 Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, together with Dr Birute Galdikas and other truly inspiring conservationists. I was blessed to spend time with her and we talked about life and work. It was wonderful to meet her son, Frederick and get her updates on the orangutans, who she dedicated her life to, as well as, the local communities. Dr. Birute was excited to hear about my memoir “Walking With Gorillas” 🦍 and was delighted that I mentioned her in the chapter of “Women in Conservation” She bought a copy which I was proud to autograph. Along with my heroines, Dr. Dian Fossey and Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Birute Galdikas founded one of the longest study sites of great apes in the wild, inspiring countless women to join conservation. She will be greatly missed. May she rest in peace, power and glory, and may her legacy continue through the work of the Orangutan Foundation International and others she has mentored and inspired.

Sunday 8th March - International Women’s Day was a special one for me, with bittersweet memories of my dear mother who nurtured and supported me to follow my dreams of becoming a wildlife veterinarian and conservationist. I thank the Old Budonian’s Club for giving me the opportunity to give a talk at their first posthumous Rhoda Kalema Women’s Day Lecture, a series which began in 2008. My mother was also honored with an Old Budonian’s Club posthumous award! I was joined by my husband, Lawrence Zikusoka; my nephew, Juko Kayondo; my cousins, Greenhill Academy rector - Joy Maraka, Ssanyu Jennifer Nsibirwa, Hon. Maria Kiwanuka; and Maama’s good friend and CTPH board member, Judy Kamanyi. The two other speakers, Jeninah Nalukenge and Manuela Mulondo, who are also highly accomplished Old Budonian girls, gave engaging and inspiring speeches about their personal journeys discovering self-worth, particularly in an age of technology, social media, and AI. I reflected upon how Hon. Rhoda Kalema lived a life of purpose until the Lord called her in August 2025, sharing photos from her autobiography, “My Life is But a Weaving.” Maama always wanted to make a difference and was willing to challenge social and cultural norms to follow her dreams, from being the first girl at Budo to touch a typewriter and do the commercial course, to joining the women’s movement and empowering ordinary women, to joining politics and following her husband’s dream as a former cabinet minister and her father’s legacy as a former Katikkiro (Prime Minister of the Buganda Kingdom) by becoming among the first women Members of Parliament in Uganda. Maama Rhoda continued to encourage and mentor many women to follow in her footsteps, changing the political landscape of Uganda forever. Maama never forgot Budo, which gave her a strong foundation and confidence to compete in a man’s world of politics, where she defeated eight men to represent Kiboga District in the Constituent Assembly. Budo was among her last engagements on earth, having opened the girls’ reading room in June 2025. And the “She Budonian” magazine was one of her most exciting projects! Thank you King’s College Budo and the Old Budonian’s Club for honoring Maama and keeping her torch burning 🔥 I would like to particularly thank the Old Budonians Club members - Susan Muhoza, Andrew Kafeero, Dr Amos Mwesigwa, Helen Kawesa and Rogers Katende. May Maama Rhoda rest in peace, power, and glory.

Sustainable tourism and conservation go hand in hand. Tourism cannot be fully sustainable if conservation is missing from the equation. We must constantly reflect on whether the tourism we promote and practice is responsible and sustainable. I was honoured to be invited to deliver a presentation at the Murchison Palace Tour Operators Meeting on Sustainable Tourism and Conservation in Uganda. It was a valuable opportunity to remind ourselves why good practices such as wearing masks and keeping the recommended distance while visiting gorillas and chimpanzees are so important, as well as getting tourists to support local communities. I was truly inspired by the tour operators and tour guides who were mainly youth and embraced these best practices. Thank you for taking the time to come together, share ideas, and explore how tourism in Uganda can continue to grow in a more sustainable and responsible way.

Truly honored to be featured in My Green Pod Magazine as we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day. The article explores how we are redefining wildlife protection through our work at Conservation Through Public Health. Many thanks to Neel Zaver, host of Our Altered World on UK Health Radio, for shining a spotlight on our conservation efforts with the mountain gorillas and local communities. Click here to read the full article: #flipbook-df_rand136495589/1/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">mygreenpod.com/magazine/#flip… Photo by @NatGeo / @EstherR_Mbabazi

Happy International Women's Day! Cheers to the incredible women who grow Arabica coffee around the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and to the women who carefully sort and contribute to the production of #KanyonyiCoffee that we all enjoy.

What a special way to celebrate International Women’s Day in honor of our mother, mentor, leader and friend, Hon. Rhoda Kalema. Thank you to the Old Budonians’ Club for organizing this meaningful event to honor my mother’s legacy, and inviting me to speak at the Rhoda Kalema Women’s Day lecture. Theme: Self Worth: Why It Matters to a Student at King’s College Budo – A Co educational School You are all invited to join us. RSVP: 📞 OBC Administrator: +256 707 412 681 | +256 761 412 687

Today we celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.” This theme reminds us that a just and sustainable future depends on empowering women and girls everywhere. In conservation and community development, and through our work at Conservation Through Public Health and Gorilla Conservation Coffee, I have seen how women’s leadership strengthens families, protects nature, and builds more resilient communities. When women have equal rights and opportunities, everyone benefits and our planet has a better chance to thrive. Let us continue to take action to ensure that all women and girls are empowered to lead and shape a better future. Happy International Women’s Day! #InternationalWomensDay

I had a wonderful chat with Bhanu Prakash Chandra from THE WEEK while in India where I was honored to give a keynote presentation at the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award and Lecture organised by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, in Bengaluru. I hope you enjoy our interview, particularly after celebrating World Wildlife Day on 3rd March. Read here: theweek.in/theweek/specia…