By Ugandan conservationist Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka has been named among the Top Five CNN Heroes of 2026, earning international recognition for her efforts to protect endangered mountain gorillas while improving the lives of communities living alongside them.
Selected from nominations worldwide, Dr Kalema-Zikusoka is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), an organisation she established in 2003 to promote the health and coexistence of people, wildlife and the environment.
Her conservation journey began in 1996 when she became Uganda’s first wildlife veterinarian and established the first veterinary department at the Uganda Wildlife Authority. While working in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, she encountered a scabies outbreak among mountain gorillas, which exposed the risks of disease transmission between humans and wildlife.
The experience shaped her conviction that protecting gorillas required improving the health of communities sharing their habitat.
Through CTPH, she has championed the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. The organisation has worked with more than 10,000 households around Bwindi, promoting healthcare, disease prevention, family planning and sustainable livelihoods.
Her initiatives also include Gorilla Conservation Coffee, a social enterprise established in 2015 to support farmers living near gorilla habitats through better market opportunities for their coffee.
According to Dr Kalema-Zikusoka, the integrated conservation approach has helped the Bwindi mountain gorilla population grow by more than 50 per cent, demonstrating the importance of community involvement in wildlife protection.
Her work has earned several international accolades, including the 2009 Whitley Gold Award and the 2021 United Nations Environment Programme Champions of the Earth award.
Her selection among CNN’s top five heroes places Uganda’s conservation work on a global platform and highlights an approach that puts communities at the centre of wildlife protection.
Vote for Uganda’s conservation champion
Public voting is open until November 29, 2026. Supporters can cast up to 10 votes daily for their preferred finalist. Each finalist receives $10,000, while the CNN Hero of the Year will receive an additional $100,000 to support their work.
Ugandans and supporters worldwide are encouraged to vote to help Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka become the 2026 CNN Hero of the Year. You can help make it happen by voting at https://www.cnn.com/world/heroes/vote.
