Celebrating the Success of the 2025/26 WLI Small Grants Cycle
Empowering a New Generation of Wetland Guardians
Wetland Link International (WLI) is proud to celebrate the successful conclusion of its third annual Small Grants Scheme. Supported by Eversheds Sutherland, this cycle has proven to be a transformative journey, moving beyond awareness-raising to establish a foundation for local environmental stewardship worldwide.
Students group photo ©Nyandungu Eco-Park
A Global Footprint of Impact
Through the WLI Small Grants Programme, seven projects were supported during the 2025/26 cycle across Rwanda, Indonesia, Portugal, Ethiopia, Colombia, and Sri Lanka. Together, these initiatives positively impacted 51,901 beneficiaries.
While over 49,000 people were reached through broad outreach like social media and radio, the true heart of the programme lay in its 2,737 direct beneficiaries. These individuals-ranging from primary students to local government officials, engaged in high-touch activities like workshops, guided tours, and hands-on conservation.
Interactive Learning ©PKGB
Students getting training on
crane identification : International Crane Foundation ©(ICF)
From Awareness to Action and Livelihoods
The defining achievement of this cycle was the transition from passive learning to active leadership and vocational training. Highlights from the projects include:
- In Sri Lanka, the "Colombo Wetland Guardians" project by Love a Tree Foundation empowered 126 youth leaders, many of whom have registered as permanent volunteers for future conservation.
- In Indonesia’s Singkil Peat Swamp, through the support of PKGB, 10 local youth were trained as community-based nature guides, creating new pathways for sustainable livelihoods through ecotourism.
- Projects in Rwanda by Nyandungu Eco-Park and Ethiopia by the International Crane Foundation established or revitalised a combined 11 Environmental/Eco-Clubs, ensuring that wetland education remains a permanent fixture in local schools.
Workshop in Singkil ©PKGB
Field workshops© Love A Tree Foundation
Scaling Through Collaboration
This year, the projects didn't just operate in isolation; they integrated into regional frameworks. In Colombia, the TOTUMA model was recognised by a local university as the region’s top initiative for social inclusion. Meanwhile, in Rwanda, capacity-building efforts exceeded expectations, training 41 educators and school leaders—nearly double the original target of 24.
In Portugal, the RIAS "Educating to Conservation" project professionalised its outreach, collaborating with four local municipalities and 17 professors to bring interactive learning—such as microplastic exploration and owl pellet analysis—to hundreds of students.
Activity Owl Pellet Exploration © RIAS
Mural painting ©Fundación Montecito
A Lasting Legacy
The cycle was punctuated by moments of global connection, including a World Wetlands Day celebration in February 2026 and a WLI Small Grants Gathering on March 3rd, where awardees shared challenges and successes.
WLI and its partners have not only protected critical ecosystems today but have equipped a new generation with the tools and passion to safeguard them for the future. These projects have proven that small grants, when applied with local expertise and institutional support, can create a global wave of change.
