Leslie Bayanza is a Research Assistant at African Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation. Her work contributes to the research project on wildlife economy in Africa, where she supports the development of country case studies examining how wildlife contributes to socio-economic development and community livelihoods. She is currently pursuing an MPhil in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town, where her research investigates the impact of climate change and urbanisation on wildlife’s behaviour and survival. Leslie holds a BA in Global Challenges with a focus on wildlife conservation. She has been involved in community-based conservation projects with international conservation NGOs, including the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Leslie also leads CHIYONA, a youth-led initiative in Goma, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that promotes youth involvement in environmental protection and urban organic farming, focusing on capacity-building and establishing kitchen gardens in orphanages and low-income communities.