International Coordinator: Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area
Not many people can boast they work for three countries. The Lubombo TFCA will link up huge areas between South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland to create one of the first elephant strongholds along Africa’s eastern coastline. But not only animals live within the TFCA.
Terry, a feisty graduate of Orlando High, is a real mover and shaker. Fluent in five languages, she is currently studying for an MBA — despite a job that would daunt lesser mortals.
After years as a project manager for the US Agency for International Development, she went on to help manage the civil society secretariat during the 2002 World Summit and then to a stint with the City of Johannesburg.
Creating awareness about gender-related issues is her central concern, especially about impoverished rural women. ‘For me, conservation must include development. Are we able to make a real difference in the lives of those people who need development the most? For too long, rural people were left out of the conservation equation.
‘We’re working with tourism authorities to develop economic opportunities through training and marketing. The best part of my job is knowing that I’m helping to make a real difference in people’s lives.”